


Good Slytherins

by useless_slytherclaw



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Black Family Drama (Harry Potter), Death Eaters, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Good Slytherins, I'm Bad At Tagging, Light Angst, Minor Character Death, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Post-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Pureblood Politics (Harry Potter), Redemption, Second Chances, Second War with Voldemort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:48:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 60,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23510350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/useless_slytherclaw/pseuds/useless_slytherclaw
Summary: Regulus meets those he lost in the afterlife, including a lost love, and later, his estranged brother, who in falling through the veil, opened up a temporary pathway back to the realm of the living. They take to opportunity and cross over to finish living the lives tragically cut short. Regulus uses his knowledge of Voldemort and other dark magic to help the Order of the Phoenix defeat Voldemort.
Relationships: Regulus Black/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 78
Kudos: 172
Collections: Regulus Black Fest 2020





	1. The Crossing

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time exploring Regulus Black as a character, and I learned to love him. I hope you all love him as much as I do. This fic took on a life of its own, so buckle up! 
> 
> On a serious note, this fic deals with Regulus Black's life after being a Death Eater and deals with/discusses PTSD, anxiety, child abuse, death, and violence. All's well that ends well, but there are some heavy themes in this story. 
> 
> Thanks so much to my beta reader. I know I added like 30K words after I asked for your help, so thanks for sticking in there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus’ entire world was black. At least his lungs had stopped hurting. Had there been hands on him? They were gone now. Everything was gone now. His muscles relaxed. It was over now, everything was over and he could rest. He just wanted to rest. 

Regulus opened his eyes; white light assaulted his vision, and he closed them. Whatever he was lying on was hard. Was he sleeping on the floor? He groaned and threw his arm over his face. Where the hell was he?

“So, you’re finally awake.” A male voice came from his right. Regulus knew that voice. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked around. Everything around him was white and foggy. It was odd, though. He felt somehow that there was nothing beyond the fog, that the fog wasn’t hiding the world, but that it was the world. Which made no sense. 

He was sitting on a sidewalk or maybe a road, it was hard to tell, but there was a tall man sitting on the ground beside him. He was handsome in a mature way and had long dark hair tied back neatly and a close trimmed beard. Both hair and beard were streaked with grey, but it only served to make him look distinguished. There was only one person it could be.

“Uncle Alphard?” Regulus asked, confused. Alphard was dead. With that thought, Regulus remembered. The cave. The potion. The inferi. The water. “I’m dead, aren’t I?”

“Yes,” Alphard said, sounding sad. “It seems that you are. I must say that I didn’t think I’d see you here this soon.”

Regulus looked at his uncle. He looked younger than he had been the last time Regulus had seen him. His hair and beard were mostly dark again. His black eyes were sorrowful and soft. Regulus looked away and shifted uncomfortably. Sadness and softness were not acceptable in Blacks, and as such, they weren’t things he was comfortable with. 

Alphard reached out and put an arm around Regulus, who stiffened. Alphard removed his arm.

“Where are we?” Regulus asked.

“I’m not exactly sure,” Alphard said. “What do you see?”

Regulus looked around himself, and as he looked more of the world formed around him. He seemed to be sitting on a cobblestone road of some sort. A few feet away another street intersected this one. There were no road signs that he could see. There were no buildings on the street either.

“It looks like a crossroads? Except everything is white. The stones, the grass, the sky?” There was no wind, no sun. What a strange place. 

“How interesting,” Alphard said, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand. “You are at a crossroads Regulus, but I don’t know what your choices are. Only you can know that.”

“Choices? Like heaven or hell? How is that a choice?”

“No,” Alphard said, “I don’t think it’s like that. I think it’s more about how you’re going to get where you’re going. You aren’t ready to go on.”

“Not ready to pass on?” Regulus asked incredulously. “I’m dead! I don’t have another choice!” Maybe he could become a ghost. He entertained the thought briefly but quickly cast it aside. 

Alphard smiled at him. “I don’t make the rules, Reg. I’m not even sure I know what they are. All I know is that you’re here, at a crossroads. Maybe you have to wait for something or for someone.”

Waiting for something? For someone? Someone to go into the afterlife with? For half a second he thought about- but no. Regulus let out a single harsh laugh at the idea. He was a Death Eater, a turncoat, a coward, a useless backup heir to an insane family. No one wanted him; no one was waiting for him. He pulled his knees up to his chest. It seemed that he couldn’t even die properly.

“Regulus,” Uncle Alphard’s voice broke into his spiraling thoughts. “You know that I’m proud of you? If I would have had a son, I would have wanted him to be like you.”

Regulus rolled his eyes. “Don’t bother Uncle; I know that Sirius was your favorite.”  _ Sirius was everyone’s favorite. _

For a long moment, neither of them spoke, but Regulus could feel Alphard’s eyes on him. 

“Sirius reminds me of myself. I was quite rebellious as a young boy. Not nearly as bad as your brother,” he clarified when Regulus gave him a disbelieving look. “I don’t think there’s been a Black in 200 years who’s caused as much ruckus as your brother. Still, Walburga deplored me; still does, I’m sure. And rather like your brother, I didn’t want to marry a nice girl and settle down. Luckily for me, I had Cygnus and Walburga to carry on the family name. Like Sirius had you. I know, personally, the sort of cruelness that Walburga employs in the name of discipline, and I worried for your brother. You were always so well behaved, so quiet, that I didn’t worry for you. Now I know better. 

“I understood Sirius. But you, Regulus, I am so proud of you. You were everything parents could ask for from a son: well mannered, excellent marks, seeker for the house team, a prefect, and dedicated to the family. 

“I guess it’s a good thing you don’t know how I died then,” Regulus spoke into his knees. He wasn’t used to receiving compliments, and he didn’t know how to handle it. 

“Did you try to run away with that girl? I told Walburga that she came from a good family, but Wally never listened to me very well.”

Regulus blinked. He’d never talked to Alphard about Iset. He hadn’t talked to anyone about Iset besides Sirius, who’d figured it out on his own.  _ Sirius _ . Sirius must have told Alphard. Regulus ground his teeth. “It was never like that. We never- Anyway, she went to America to study magical theory and avoid the War.”

Alphard raised one eyebrow. 

“I,” Regulus said, staring at his knees again. “I betrayed them, and I died doing it.”

“Why don’t you tell me what happened,” Alphard said. “All of it.”

So Regulus did and it all came tumbling out. How it all started at Hogwarts and seeing the things people like Mulciber and Avery did to muggle-born students made him sick. How as Sirius acted out more and more, Bella and Walburga dug their claws into Regulus tighter and tighter. How he didn’t understand why they had to be so cruel. How it felt when Sirius ran away and abandoned him to their parents. How Bella convinced his parents to make Regulus join the Death Eaters. How he couldn’t leave because Walburga would never let both of her sons go. How he realized that he was only going to be free when he was dead. How Voldemort entrusted him with the secret of the Horcrux by using Kreacher. How Regulus went, on that final day, to get the Horcrux and do as much damage to Voldemort as possible.

Alphard was silent for a long time. Regulus resisted the urge to fidget; fidgeting wasn’t dignified. Regulus glanced away from his knees to look at Alphard’s face. He looked sad again. 

“That only makes me more proud of you, Regulus, not less. You stood up to the most powerful wizard in the world, and you found his greatest weakness, and you used it against him. It’s brilliant. You are a far braver man than I ever was, Regulus.”

“I betrayed our family.”

“No, lad, our family betrayed you. It’s one thing to care about bloodlines and to protect traditions. It’s another thing to force your children to torture and kill.” 

Alphard put his arm around Regulus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank [a_sentimental_man](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_sentimental_man/pseuds/a_sentimental_man) for looking at this chapter when I first started writing.


	2. River of Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus remembers his life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)
> 
> I'd also like to thank [bytheinco_nstantmoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bytheinco_nstantmoon/pseuds/bytheinco_nstantmoon) for looking at the first few chapters and helping me develop Iset.

Alphard had gone a while ago, though Regulus didn’t know how long. Time moved strangely here, wherever that was. There was no sun in the sky, and the light seemed to darken or lighten as he wished it rather than in any discernible pattern. His uncle had told Regulus that he would return if he was needed, but Regulus hadn’t called for the other man. Regulus didn’t mind the solitude, in fact, he enjoyed it. 

For a while, he had just rested. The grass on the side of the road was soft and didn’t itch his skin the way grass in the real world did. As he lay there, he let his mind relax, letting go of his constant, if subconscious, focus on Occlumency. There was no one here to hide from and it felt so good to let it all go. He also came to the realization that he felt safe here and with that came the knowledge of exactly how scared he had been. It wasn’t just the last month, where he had held in his mind the active plan to betray Lord Voldemort. It wasn’t even the two years that he spent as a Death Eater- fighting Order members, being forced to torture muggles or be tortured himself, and hiding from Aurors. Though, those were certainly the worst. He’d been scared for almost as long as he could remember, scared of disappointing his parents. Now, without the weight of his parent’s expectations on him, he felt strange. 

He’d tried walking down the different roads that led away from the crossroads. He’d wandered for what felt like hours, though he had no way to tell time. But whatever way he tried to walk, he kept ending up back at the crossroads, or maybe a different, but almost identical crossroads. He should have felt frustrated walking so long and getting nowhere, but he found he didn’t mind. 

Regulus noticed that the light dimmed when he rested, and so it was nearly dark now as he lay on a bench near the road. He had no idea how long he had been here. But his body didn’t grow tired, and he hadn’t become hungry or thirsty either. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. If he didn’t need to choose a path perhaps he was waiting for something or someone as Alphard had suggested. His mind drifted over memories, mostly of Hogwarts. The memories flowed over him like a river. He pulled them up, like stones, to watch them and then discard them when they became too sharp like the memory of his sorting. 

He had stood in the group of first years fighting the urge to shift from foot to foot.  _ Blacks do not fidget.  _ He’d sat on the stool with his heart pounding. The hat had said, “Another Black, eh? Slytherin!” and McGonagall whipped it off his head. Regulus felt such a strong wave of relief that he almost couldn’t stand. The green and silver table was cheering for him, and he happily walked over. Narcissa even stood up to hug him. Then he looked at his brother, who was glaring at the sorting hat. Regulus had a feeling that his brother was very intentionally  _ not _ looking at him. All the wind went out of him, and he felt incredibly small at that moment. 

Regulus shoved the memory away. He didn’t want to think about Sirius’ anger. He didn’t want to think about Sirius in general. Thoughts of his brother always hurt, and Regulus was done hurting. Instead, he thought about sitting in the Slytherin common room and listening to the lake against the glass, about sitting in the library with a girl with long black hair and warm brown eyes, about racing around the quidditch pitch on his new broomstick, and about drinking butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks with Barty. 

As his thoughts wandered, he found himself drawn back again to dark brown eyes and long black hair- to Iset. Regulus sighed. Thinking of Iset was bittersweet. He could lose himself in the memories they shared at Hogwarts. When they would sit at a hidden table in the library just so they could sit close with their legs pressed together. How she brought signs to cheer him on at quidditch games. The whispered conversations they had as they did prefect rounds. Every morning at breakfast when they would sit across from each other before most of the school woke up. 

He got caught on little things like the sleepy half-smile on her face over morning coffee or the way her tan cheeks turned pink in the winter wind, and she pulled her green scarf up over her mouth. A few memories he handled like gems, worth more than anything in his Gringotts’ vault. The first time he had kissed her because they were at Slughorn’s party and there was mistletoe overhead. It had been quick and chaste, but he remembered the softness of her lips and the shy smile she gave him afterward. The second time he had kissed her, they hung onto each other as if the world was ending. They’d been safe in a hidden passageway, and she tasted like cinnamon and coffee. 

But now Regulus tasted regret. He remembered when Iset had told him “Our parents would never approve; we aren’t related,” and they had both laughed, but Regulus had felt like the world was shattering. She was right. It didn’t matter that they were both pureblood wizards. Walburga thought the girl was a good enough acquaintance to have, but she wasn’t in the twenty-eight, and Walburga didn’t trust the bloodlines of foreign wizards. He imagined that Ambassador Senusret had said something similar about British wizards. He hadn’t kissed her again; it wasn’t proper. Still, they met in the back corner of the library every week, where no one could see. Sometimes Iset would whisper about her nightmares and her father’s punishments, and Regulus would put an arm around her shoulders. Other times, Regulus would whisper about his fears or about the Death Eaters or his mother’s rage, and Iset would hold his trembling hand in hers. 

Cautiously, as if it was something sharp, Regulus turned over his last memory with Iset. It was the train back at the end of his sixth year and her seventh. Iset had appeared wearing a black dress and pulled him into an empty compartment with the blinds down. He remembered that her hands were trembling in his. “I’m leaving for America tomorrow, Reg. I’m not- This isn’t my war. I’m going to study with an expert in wandless magic. And, I,” Regulus could have sworn there were tears shining in her eyes. He realized then, that she was saying goodbye. “I don’t think I’ll be coming back. My family will want me at home, but I had to say goodbye, Reg.” Then she kissed him, and she was crying. Regulus had gathered her into his arms and kissed her back. He had so desperately wanted to stop time right then. He wasn’t ready for Hogwarts without Iset, for life without Iset. But then she pulled back, took a few deep breaths to gather her composure, and walked out of the door and out of his life. 

Regulus banged his head against the bench. Why was he thinking of this? Stupid question, really. He forcefully turned his mind away, thinking about Barty instead. He didn’t let himself think about Barty and the Death Eaters. He wasn’t like Regulus; Barty had unwavering faith in the Dark Lord. He’d be fine so long as the Order or the Aurors didn’t catch him. Regulus told himself sternly that he didn’t need to worry, and turned his mind to their time at Hogwarts instead. He was remembering flying with Barty over the Black Lake when something changed. 

Something changed, but Regulus couldn’t say what. It wasn’t a sound; there was no sound here now that Alphard had gone, not even the sound of Regulus’ breath or heartbeat. He supposed that he didn’t have or need either of those things anymore. The light hadn’t changed and he couldn’t see anything else because his eyes were closed. There was also no motion besides that of Regulus himself. So what had changed? Regulus opened his eyes and sat up. The sky was the same empty white as before. The road stretched along in front of him as it had before. Regulus looked around trying to locate the disturbance. There, about a hundred feet from him in the grass, the air was twisting and shimmering. Regulus watched as the shape of a person formed and slowly solidified. Whoever it was was now lying in the grass unmoving. Curiosity got the better of him and Regulus stood up to investigate. It was a girl, he realized. She appeared to be sleeping with her head on her hand. He recognized the profile of her face and the neatly braided black hair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief note on Iset Senusret's name. This is intentionally not a modern name. I imagine that pure blooded families in other countries use antiquated names from their own culture the way that the purebloods in Harry Potter seem to use latin names.


	3. Good Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girl Regulus loves joins him in the afterlife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of child abuse, murder, familial violence, and honor killings
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus felt his heart flip over as he looked at Iset asleep on the strange white grass. He was so glad to see her that it hurt, but he felt horror at his happiness because if Iset was here then she was dead. 

He reached out to wake her up, but withdrew his hand. Alphard had waited for Regulus to wake up on his own, so maybe Regulus should do the same. Regulus sat in the grass a few feet away, twisting his fingers in the grass to keep them busy. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her; he knew that it was entirely improper, but he had missed her so much. 

Iset was as pretty as she always had been. Her nose was too large for her to be considered beautiful, but Regulus preferred her prettiness to the intimidating beauty of people like his cousins. But she did look different than he remembered. At first, he thought it was because she was sleeping. Her face was relaxed and she looked sweet and a bit vulnerable. Iset, when she was awake, never looked vulnerable and her sweetness was reserved for small moments when no one else was looking. But it was more than that. She was older than he remembered, he realized at last, but not by much. Somehow, she didn’t look like a teenager anymore. Had she changed so much in one year? How long had he been here? 

His train of thought was broken when Iset started to move. Regulus moved so that he was kneeling next to her. She rubbed her eyes and began to sit up, and Regulus found that he couldn’t speak. What could he even say? Hello Iset, you’re dead. It’s just me here, sorry.

“Reg?” She asked quietly. She was sitting up now and there was an expression on her face that he had never seen before, both soft and sad. Then she smiled, but it was a sad smile. “Tonight’s a night for good dreams then.” She wrapped her arms around her knees. “Dreams are all I have of you now.”

“I-” Regulus struggled for words. He wasn’t prepared for the emotion on her face or the way he was reacting to it. His voice was soft when he spoke. “You aren’t dreaming.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, and Regulus was glad to see some of her usual fire returning. She let go of her knees, sliding her legs down into a less vulnerable sitting position. “Regulus Black is dead.” 

“Yeah,” he said. “I am.”

There was a long silence as she studied his face and glanced around her. What did she see? Regulus just waited, sitting on his knees in front of her. He watched as the blood slowly drained from her face.

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” Her voice was slightly shaky. “This doesn’t look like a dream.”

Regulus just nodded.

“He,” her voice choked on a silent sob. “He actually did it then.”

Regulus reached out to embrace her; he moved slowly, to give her time to pull away if she wanted to, but she didn’t. Instead of their usual one-armed hug, Regulus wrapped both of his arms around her; she had just been murdered after all. Regulus desperately wanted to know who ‘he’ was. What had Iset done to make someone want to kill her? Was it the war? It didn’t seem like the time to ask. 

Iset clung to Regulus, her hands were fisted into his clothes and her face was pressed to his chest, but she didn’t cry. Regulus held her as her body trembled. 

“I’m sorry,” she said into his chest. 

“You don’t need to be sorry,” Regulus stroked her hair with one hand. 

“I, I haven’t seen you in years. I finally get to see you, and I’m busy pitying myself.” 

“It’s okay. You’re allowed to be upset. You just found out you’re dead.” Regulus continued to stroke her hair; she had stopped trembling. “And it sounds like you were surprised.” 

She nodded. “I mean, they said they wouldn’t let me embarrass them. But I thought they’d just leave me in America. I thought they’d disown me… but I guess not.” 

Regulus took a second to digest this. The Iset he remembered wouldn’t have done anything (like loving Regulus) that upset her family, let alone get her disowned. Then again, Regulus knew that the whims of pureblood society could be extremely arbitrary. If she was right, her own parents had her killed. His mother had done some terrible things, but he couldn’t imagine her actually killing him. He didn’t say anything; he pressed his face into her hair and held her. 

Eventually, Iset released his shirt and leaned back; Regulus let her go. He could see her pulling herself together: sitting up straight, squaring her shoulders, lifting her chin. And he unconsciously mimicked her actions. 

“So where are we?” Iset asked, “I guess this is some sort of afterlife?” 

“Not exactly. Well, I’m not entirely sure. I was told when I got here that this wasn’t the afterlife, that I wasn’t ready to move on yet, that maybe I was waiting for something…” his voice trailed off before he could say “or someone”. He didn’t know how Iset would react to that, and he didn’t want to upset her further. How was he supposed to tell her that he had loved her for years, that after he died he waited for her without even knowing he was doing it, that he regretted so much that he’d given up on her when his mother told him too. It had been years since Iset had seen him. Maybe she had moved on, maybe she had never cared about him the way he did about her. But she had said that dreams were all she had of him now. She was dreaming about him. 

“Who told you?” She looked around, probably looking for evidence of anyone besides them. 

“It was my uncle Alphard. He left. I’m sorry, it’s just me.” He resisted the urge to hunch his shoulders or fidget. Maybe she was wishing her own family had been here to welcome her. Instead, it was just him. 

“Regulus,” her voice brought him out of his thoughts. “Don’t be sorry. I’m so glad to see you.” She reached out and took his hand in hers. “I’m sorry I was a mess earlier. Please don’t think I don’t want to see you. I’ve missed you so much. Everything’s just… a lot.” Her voice trailed off at the end, but she was still clutching at his hand. Her chin was set stubbornly and it was a look he knew meant that she wouldn’t let him  _ not  _ listen to her. And her eyes- her eyes were so earnest. He could see confusion in them, but he could also see a softness in them that had only ever been for him. And most of all, she looked genuinely happy to see him, He wasn’t sure anyone else in his life ever looked happy to see him. Certainly not his parents or his brother. 

“I can’t imagine,” he said, squeezing her hand. “You must be feeling confused. Why don’t we walk, and you can think things out for a while. You can talk to me if you want, but you don’t have to.”

Regulus offered her a small smile. He could use a few minutes to get his own thoughts together. 

“Thank you, Reg.” Iset returned his smile with a small one of her own. Regulus got to his feet and offered her his hand. She took it but didn’t actually use it as she stood up. Once she was on her feet, Iset let go of his hand, and Regulus felt suddenly bereft without her contact. He moved his hands to his pockets to stop himself from trying to touch her. Iset wasn’t generally a very touchy person, and normally, really, neither was he.

Regulus wasn’t sure what Iset was thinking about as they began to walk down one of the cobblestone roads. A vague part of his mind wondered if the road might actually take them somewhere now that Iset had joined him. But the rest of his mind was swirling. It was so easy to get lost in his mind here. There was no temperature, or movement, or smell, or sound to pull him out except for when he or Iset talked. Even when he touched Iset, he didn’t feel the warmth of her body. 

Part of Regulus wanted to know what exactly had happened to Iset. Why had she defied her parents? How long had it been? Another part of Regulus was trying to put together his own thoughts. He thought about how he had felt remembering their kisses, and how much he treasured those memories. He remembered the way he could practically taste the bitterness of regret as he replayed the memory of her walking away from him on the Hogwarts express. His parents’ will and his family name had meant everything to Regulus in life, but now not so much. Regulus had always put his duty to his family first, and where had it gotten him? He’d spent the end of his life lonely and afraid then he had died before he was even nineteen. All he could think about now was all the things that he should have said. Maybe this was his second chance. A chance for him to choose Iset. But would she choose him back? 

Regulus had to beat back his insecurities. He knew that he was nothing special, but when Iset looked at him he felt like he was. Iset had come to him in the afterlife, he reminded himself. She said that she had dreams about him, good dreams. She told him that she had missed him, that she was happy to see him. A small voice in his head kept telling him that she just wanted to be his friend, that she was mollifying him. He pushed it away. He wasn’t going to let his own insecurities stop him from being with Iset. If it turned out that she didn’t want him… he’d deal with that later. He focused on trying to put his feelings into words that he could tell Iset, while he waited for her to gather her own thoughts.

“Reg,” Iset said.

“Yes?”

“I need to tell you,” she took a deep breath. Regulus didn’t speak. He kept walking beside her, though he looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. She was staring resolutely in front of herself with her chin high and mouth in a stubborn line. He thought there was a faint blush on her cheeks though. Then he noticed that her hands were white-knuckled where they gripped the fabric of her skirt. 

He stopped walking and reached out and loosened her fingers, taking her hands in his. “You can tell me anything. You know that, don’t you?”

“I missed you when I went to America, more than I missed anyone else. I should have told you, but with things how they were and with our families… I didn’t want to make things hard for either of us. But then,” her eyes had been fixed at a point just to the right of his face, but she closed then now. Her cheeks were slowly getting redder with every word she said. “Then you died, and I realized that I’d really never be able to talk to you again, or see you again. It was so horrible. And I suddenly couldn’t believe I’d chosen  _ them _ over you.”

Every word that she said seemed to fuel a small light in Regulus. A light he had never noticed before; something illuminating and warming the darkness inside of him. She opened her eyes again. “Then they told me that they wanted me to come back to Cairo and marry someone from a family there. I just couldn’t do it. I wanted to stay in my studies, and I hated the idea of being an accessory for some man I’d never met. I couldn’t be with someone who wanted to show me off at parties, have some children, and forget about me most of the time. But that wasn’t all of it. I also just… I wanted you. I closed my eyes, and I remembered kissing you behind that tapestry and you holding me in the library. I realized that I couldn’t,” she took a deep breath. Her cheeks were the reddest he had ever seen, but Merlin, it was so endearing. “I couldn’t love someone who wasn’t you, and I couldn’t go and marry this stranger as if you’d never existed.”

“Iset,” Regulus practically breathed her name. When she said that she needed to tell him something, this was what he had hoped for, but it hadn’t prepared him for how it felt to hear the words. He was probably staring at her in wonder, but he didn’t care. He let go of one of her hands to cradle her cheek in his hand. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and she leaned into his hand. “I realized after I came here that what I regretted most in my life was letting you go. I got a second chance with this, and I don’t want to waste it. I think… I think I’ve loved you for years.”

As he spoke the flush faded from her cheeks and she stared at him confidently now. “I love you too, Regulus Black.” So, Regulus leaned down and kissed her. 


	4. Tear in the Veil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius arrives in the afterlife and rips open the veil between life and death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW very brief mentions of Walburga Black's terrible parenting/child abuse
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus was lying in the grass, and Iset had her head on his shoulder. The grass was soft and the weight of Iset against him was comforting. They had talked for a while and walked down the road. They had managed to walk away from the crossroads but had yet to arrive anywhere. Regulus really didn’t mind. He enjoyed resting in the grass with Iset by his side, and he enjoyed walking with her. 

They’d had time to discuss things they never had before, like their childhood memories. It was somehow easier to talk about Walburga in this strange silent place. Iset held him and stroked his hair. When she looked at him it was with empathy and not pity. She had her own stories about her father. When she whispered about how she used to hide in her closet when she cried, he didn’t feel bad about being afraid of his parents. 

Everything wasn’t that heavy, though. Sometimes they reminisced about their time at Hogwarts. They remembered their time together and told stories about their other friends: Barty Crouch and Regina Lestrange mostly. They even laughed about the handful of times they had aided the so-called marauders in pranking Mulciber, Avery, and Snape. 

Iset had also told him everything that had happened in the three years after he died. He breathed a sigh of relief to know that the Dark Lord had fallen. They discussed at length what sort of magic could have allowed a baby to defeat the Dark Lord. But he couldn’t believe that his brother was in Azkaban. It seemed incomprehensible that  _ Sirius  _ would betray Potter? Then again, he’d already turned his back on his real brother, hadn’t he? More than that, Regulus couldn’t picture a world where his brother supported the Dark Lord. 

They were taking a break again, and resting in the grass by the side of the road. His mind was blissfully empty. It was empty in a way that it couldn’t be in the real world. There was nothing in his mind, not even the sound of his own breathing or the temperature of the air.

Then suddenly, something changed. Regulus sat up and Iset let out a startled noise and ended up with her head in his lap, looking up curiously. 

“What was that?” She demanded. Regulus just pointed. There was the same strange warping of space that had occurred when Iset had arrived. The pair of them jumped to their feet. A figure was appearing, much much faster than Iset had.

Regulus rushed forward. Who was this? Whoever they were, they were falling. A tall, dark-haired man solidified in time to slam into Regulus, who staggered. 

“For Merlin’s sake!” The man cried, pulling away from Regulus and almost knocking both of them over.

“Sirius?” Regulus asked incredulously. Once he heard the voice it was obvious. He looked much older than Regulus remembered, but it was Sirius, bloody Sirius. Irritation flared, why did Sirius have to come here?

“Regulus?” Sirius managed to get his feet under him and turned his head to look at his brother. “That means--”

“You’re dead, yes.” Regulus’ voice was sharp. 

“Bullocks,” Sirius swore. “Fucking Bellatrix. I need to get back. Harry needs me.”

“Sirius,” Regulus said, “You’re dead. You can’t just ‘get back’.”

“Boys,” Iset’s voice interrupted whatever Sirius was about to say in response. Sirius looked at her, confused. She pointed at the place where Sirius had appeared, the space there was still oddly warped. “It’s not closing. Reg, maybe this is why we are in this place; this is what we were waiting for. We aren’t ready to move on because we have to go back.”

Sirius looked from his brother to Iset and shrugged, turning back towards the veil. Iset grabbed him. “It might close when you touch it!”

“Well, I’ve got things to do,” Sirius snapped, “I’m not waiting around for you two to have a council.”

Regulus was frozen, looking at the warping space. Back, he could go  _ back _ . He suddenly wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to go back. What was there for him out there? Was Iset right, were they in this limbo because they had to go back before they could move on? He grabbed Iset’s hand tightly. “Together,” he said.

“Together.” 

Sirius stepped through the veil, pulling Iset along as she refused to let go. Regulus stepped through after her. 

The first thing Regulus realized was that he had a body again. His heartbeat sounded incredibly loud, and he could both hear and feel his breathing. The second thing he realized was that he was soaking wet. His clothes and hair were dripping. He opened his mouth and water spilled out. Luckily though, there didn’t seem to be water in his lungs. He put his free hand up to wipe his mouth and looked around. 

He was in a large rectangular amphitheater type room. The light was dim enough that Regulus couldn’t see the top of the room. The air was chill and he could feel the draft against his skin. The three of them were standing on a platform in front of a crumbling arch with a gentle shifting black curtain in it. He immediately sensed that was where they had come from and stepped away from it. 

“Where are we?” Iset’s voice echoed around the room. Regulus turned to look at her and felt his skin go suddenly hot. Regulus has hardly seen her in anything other than robes, but now, she was wearing silk pajama shorts and a tank top. She hadn’t been wearing that before had she? For some reason, he couldn’t picture what she had been wearing. He looked away, first at the ground, and then at the ceiling. Merlin save him. He could feel his heartbeat accelerating in his chest. They must have returned how they were when they died. He had been drowning, and she must have been asleep. 

“Inside the Ministry of Magic,” Sirius' voice broke through the rush of Regulus’ thoughts. He’d momentarily forgotten that Iset had asked a question. “We’re in the Department of Mysteries.” 

“Great.” Regulus gritted his teeth. Three people who were supposed to be dead, one Death Eater, and one convicted murderer stuck in the fucking Ministry of Magic. His heartbeat was still so loud.

“They probably have anti-apparition wards,” Iset said. 

Sirius turned on his heel and swore. “Seems like it.”

“I might be able to do something about the wards if I had a wand.” Iset was worrying her lip between her teeth. “I wish I had that book.”

When she said ‘wand’ both Regulus and Sirius reached for their pockets. Regulus found his wand at the bottom of his pocket, it was soaking wet, but it was there. Sirius was swearing and double-checking his pockets. 

“Must have flown out of my hand. I’m going to kill Bellatrix next time I see her.”

Regulus offered Iset his wand, and she took it with a smile. She gave it a few experimental flicks and fountains of silver sparks showered from the end. Taking a deep breath, she set her jaw and then started to move the wand in a complicated pattern. Regulus watched her, and he loved it all. The glint in her eye, the confidence with which she cast the spells, the way she looked in those shorts. But now was  _ really _ not the time for those thoughts, so he forced himself to turn away. Regulus had never been as obsessed with girls as his dorm mates and had often been uncomfortable with their explicit discussions, but right then, with Iset half-dressed right in front of him, he understood. He forced himself to turn away and look at his brother.

“Can you really break through the Ministry’s spell work?” Sirius asked Iset, his face was skeptical.

“Maybe,” she said without looking up. “It’s doable. Dumbledore bends the ones at Hogwarts sometimes.”

“Yea but he’s-”

“Dumbledore, Order of Merlin first class, yes, yes, yes.” Iset said, her voice sharp.

“How long is it going to take?” 

“Longer if you keep bothering me. Since I’m  _ not _ Dumbledore, I have to do this the hard way, and I can hardly think over the sound of my own heartbeat.” 

Regulus knew the feeling. The conversation between Sirius and Iset was underscored by the rushing sound of his own blood and the soft sound of his breath. And the room- the chill felt like it was clinging to his skin… or maybe that was the water. 

Sirius had turned away from Iset and was frowning. “I don't understand where everyone went. I was only on the other side for less than a minute.”

“Time flows differently there,” Regulus said. His brother was about to open his mouth, so Regulus headed him off. “We can discuss it later. We have a lot of things to discuss later, but right now we need a plan. Where are we going once we can leave?”

“Grimmauld Place,” Sirius said immediately and Regulus raised an eyebrow. Sirius wanted to go to Grimmauld Place?

“But mother,” Regulus started.

“Dead,” Sirius told him. “Both dead and good riddance. It’s my house, err, our house now.

Regulus blinked. He felt his breath hitch in his chest and heard it too. So, his parents were dead.  _ His parents were dead.  _ Later, he would deal with that later, once he was out of the Ministry of Magic. But he hadn’t seen them in the afterlife, so why Sirius? He pressed his fingers to his temples. There was so much to process and he didn’t think he could do it right now. 

“Okay,” Iset’s voice broke the silence and both brothers turned to her. There was a glowing blue line on the ground in front of her. She handed Regulus his wand. “You’ll have to do the apparition and take us side along. Stand on the line.”

For a second, Regulus considered giving Sirius his wand and asking him to do it since Sirius hadn’t been dead for who knows how long. But Sirius was frowning at him, and Regulus wasn’t sure if Sirius was doubting his ability, or just annoyed with him. Either way, Regulus stood on the line where Iset pointed. He closed his eyes and focused with all his might on Grimmauld Place. He’d never had problems apparating before, but the last thing he wanted was to splinch them because he’d been dead for years. He turned on his heel and vanished into the tight vacuum of apparition.


	5. Grimmauld Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at Grimmauld Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW PTSD
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus threw up. From the sounds next to him, one of the others had too, probably Iset. The sudden horrible pressure and twisting had been too much for his overstimulated body. 

“I didn’t know you had problems with apparating.” Did Sirius sound worried? As if. Just looking for another reason to be better than Regulus, no doubt.

“I don’t,” Regulus said stiffly as he stood back up to his full height, which while tall was unfortunately slightly shorter than Sirius’. “I was shoved back into a body about 10 minutes ago and then squeezed through an airless magic tube.”

Regulus glared at his brother. He felt Iset take his hand, and he turned towards her. She squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile. Somehow, he could tell she was silently telling him that it wasn’t worth being upset over. Regulus focused on the feeling of their hands touching. It was so different from before, and not just because her hand was now warm. There were too many metaphysical questions wrapped up in that, so he filed it away for later.

He looked at Sirius who coughed uncomfortably. “Well, sorry, let’s just get in then.” Sirius turned and put his hand on the doorknob, then stopped. “Be quiet or you’ll wake up mother’s portrait. She’ll be sure to have fit because I’m not actually dead.”

Regulus was glad for the warning. If he had walked into Grimmauld Place and been met with his mother’s vitriol, he might have walked right back out again. Regulus took a deep breath as Sirius opened the door, holding tight to Iset’s hand. 

Regulus felt the heaviness of number twelve Grimmauld Place as soon as he stepped in. His spine stiffened in response. Regulus wasn’t sure if it was the magic of the house or his own emotions that made him want to hunch over and hide. He glanced at Iset, who was standing straight-backed with her chin held high, but he could see the tension in her jaw and feel it in the grip on his hand. Maybe it was the house after all, or maybe the stress of it all was getting to her. 

Regulus walked down the hall after Sirius. They passed a large pair of curtains on the wall, which Sirius pointed to and mouthed the words ‘crazy old bat’. Regulus took this to mean that their mother’s portrait was hanging behind the curtains. They moved off the hall and into a drawing-room. Sirius closed the door and sighed in relief.

Regulus was instantly thrown back to when they were kids. Sirius and him sneaking around the house to avoid mother. Sirius closing the door behind him and sagging with relief when they were excused from a dinner party, or escaped a family function. For a moment, the strange, old, worn Sirius in front of him was superimposed with a myriad of younger Sirius’ from before Hogwarts. Regulus resolutely turned away. That Sirius, who he had loved so deeply, was long gone, replaced by this haggard, middle-aged man. 

“You should probably get dry,” Sirius said to him. “Though I have no idea why you’re dripping wet.” 

Regulus turned to the fireplace, there was no wood there so he cast a self-sustaining, blue fire. 

“Kreacher!” Regulus called without thinking. 

There was a crack and a small house elf with huge ears appeared. “Who is calling Kreacher? Miss Cissy said the blood traitor was dead, she did. Who is in my mistress’s house and calling on Kreacher.”

“Oh shut up,” Sirius said, face twisted in disgust. 

“Kreacher,” Regulus said much more gently. “I summoned you.”

Kreacher spun around to look at Regulus, his eyes growing wide. With a cry of “Master Regulus,” he flung himself to the floor at Regulus’ feet and started wailing. 

Most of what he said was unintelligible through his sobs. But Regulus caught parts of it. “Forgive Kreacher, Master.” “Kreacher left Master for dead.” “Master has returned to Kreacher.” 

Regulus gave Iset an apologetic smile, but she didn’t seem to be annoyed. Then, he knelt down by Kreacher, which was made difficult by the fact that Kreacher had grabbed ahold of his robes.

“Kreacher,” he said softly, but the wailing elf didn’t hear him. “Kreacher,” he said more firmly. The elf stopped wailing and turned his sniffly attention to Regulus. “Kreacher, you did exactly what I ordered you to do. I know it was very hard for you and I’m sorry for that. Thank you, Kreacher.” 

Kreacher burst into tears all over again when Regulus said thank you. “Kreacher, right now, I need you to bring me dry clothes.” He glanced at Iset, who was tugging at the silk shorts as if trying to make them cover more skin that they were made to. “And please bring something for Miss Iset to wear.” 

“Yes, Master, of course, Master.” Kreacher bowed so low that his nose touched the floor and he disappeared with a crack. 

“Nasty thing,” Sirius said. Regulus rolled his eyes; this was an old disagreement.

“He’s a bit emotional,” Regulus told Iset, “but he’s very dedicated to the family, and if you are nice to him, he’ll do anything for you.” He gave Sirius a pointed look, which was ignored.

Sirius rubbed his face. “We need to figure out when it is and what happened at the Ministry.”

“Why were you even  _ in _ the Ministry,” Regulus asked, “weren’t you in Azkaban?”

“Wait, how did you know about that? You’d been dead for two years when I was arrested.” 

Regulus grimaced at his brother and waved his hand at Iset. “She heard about it before she died.”

Sirius looked at Iset again, just as confused as he was the first time he saw her. Iset didn’t budge under his gaze, but her jaw was clenched and there was a bit of pink high on her cheeks. “Why-” Sirius started but shook his head. “Later, I have to figure out what happened to Harry.”

Sirius strode to the fireplace, grabbed the floo powder, and stuck his head in the fireplace. Iset stepped closer to Regulus once Sirius was distracted. She put her hand on his arm and gave him a searching look, silently asking if he was okay. Regulus just nodded.

Then Kreacher returned, obscured behind a pile of robes. He set them down in a neat pile. Pulling a green silk dressing gown from the pile, he offered it to Iset with a bow. Saying under his breath, “Kreacher serves any friend of Master Regulus.”

“Thank you, Kreacher,” Iset said as she took it. Kreacher bowed again, muttering. “Good blood, good blood she is. Good people, not like the filth the blood traitor brat-”

“Kreacher!” Regulus said sharply. 

“Master Regulus,” Kreacher gave another bow. “Kreacher will take your robes.” Regulus automatically started to pull off the clinging, wet robes. He was partway through when he remembered that he was only wearing his pants and an undershirt beneath his robes. He glanced behind him, Iset had politely turned her attention elsewhere.  _ Well, _ Regulus thought as he tried to get out of the robes as quickly as possible,  _ my pants cover more than her shorts did. _ He also pulls off the wet undershirt. His face was hot, and he practically snatched the robes out of Kreacher’s hands. The robes were warm and as Regulus put them on, he felt his skin drying off; Kreacher must have enchanted them. Kreacher handed him a towel and Regulus used it to dry off his hair. He handed it back to Kreacher with thanks. 

“Iset,” he said and she turned back to him. “Sorry about that.”

She waved his apology away, “Can’t have you dripping water all over the carpet.”

Just then, there was a blast of green light. Regulus had his wand out of his pocket and was pulling Iset behind him before he even realized what he was doing. Iset, who hadn’t fought in a war, stumbled away confused. But the light wasn’t from a curse, it came from the fireplace: floo powder.

The man who had come through the floo network also had his wand out. There was a tense moment as the two men stared at each other with their wands out. Sirius stepped between the two with his hands up. “It’s just Remus, Reg. Put the wands down.”

Regulus didn’t put his wand down. 

The other man, however, did. Regulus recognized Lupin now that Sirius had said his name, but he looked… old, like Sirius. And right then he was staring at Regulus like he’d seen a ghost.

Regulus slowly lowered his wand; he could hear his heartbeat roaring again. Lupin turned to Sirius, but instead of demanding answers, he just grabbed Sirius in a tight hug. Someone tugged on Regulus’ arm: Iset. She turned him away from the pair before the fireplace.

“We’ll go to the dining room,” she said a little louder than she needed to for Regulus to hear, and guided him out. They moved down the hallway until they found a space free of portraits and far enough from the drawing-room to be private. Iset stopped and turned to him. She took both of his hands in hers. 

“You alright?” Her eyes are soft in the shadows of the hallway.

“Yea,” the breath he let out was shaky. “I just… It was like instinct. There was the light and it was like the war all over again.”

Iset gently tugged Regulus toward her; her touch was so gentle that he could pretend it hadn’t happened, but he didn’t. He let her pull him forward and wrap her arms around him. He let his head rest on the top of hers. She was so warm and he felt the tension leaving his muscles as she held him. 


	6. The Order of the Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus gets caught up on events

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: character experiencing PTSD and flashbacks
> 
> Also, this chapter is in Sirius' P.O.V
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Iset and Regulus were drinking tea in the dining room when Sirius and Remus arrived. Sirius watched his brother as he moved across the room to take a seat near him. The room was huge and the table could easily seat twenty people. Kreacher had put out a tablecloth and a Slytherin green table runner. The whole thing made Sirius think of too many meals filled with the uncomfortable silence of four people eating in such a large room. 

Sirius still wasn’t completely sure why this girl was here. He remembered that she had been in his year at Hogwarts, in Slytherin of course. He couldn’t remember her name though, something long and foreign. A memory nudged at him, from one of his last summers in Grimmauld Place. 

_ “Mother,” Regulus said. “Iset Senusret has invited me to visit her family in Egypt. Her uncle is willing to take us to study curses on Egyptian tombs.” _

_ Walburga Black studied her youngest son over her teacup. _

_ “Senusret? I don’t recognize that name.” _

_ “It’s a very old Egyptian family,” Regulus looks bored, but Sirius is sitting next to him and can see that he’s gripping the letter in his hand too tightly for it to be casual. “Her father is the ambassador, Father must know him.” _

_ “Orion?” _

_ “Yes, Walburga?” Orion Black looks up from The Daily Prophet.  _

_ “Senusret?” Walburga prompts, looking annoyed. _

_ “The Egyptian ambassador? Very old wizarding family, from what I understand. Man has good politics.” _

_ Walburga taps her chin with one manicured finger. Regulus cuts in before she speaks. “Miss Senusret has provided a translated and abridged family tree.” _

_ Regulus reads from the letter. _

_ “Regulus, I have spoken to my father as to the status of your family. However, he is very concerned about the sort of company his daughters keep. As your family records are accessible, he was able to assure himself as to your blood status. I am sure your parents, as well-bred individuals, must share similar concerns for their children, so I have enclosed an abridged and translated copy of my genealogy. The full records are on file in the Wizarding Library of Cairo. It is abridged in two ways: one, it includes only the direct line and two, it is cut off at fifty generations.” _

_ Walburga raised an eyebrow at that. Did she look impressed? Sirius shook his head. Walburga was never impressed. He looked closely at Regulus, who took out a small scroll and passed it to his mother. When his mother unrolled it, it became longer and longer. He saw Regulus mouth the word “brilliant” as his parents studied the scroll. Sirius snorted. _

So this was that girl. A girl who sent his brother her  _ genealogy _ . He’d managed to get Regulus to admit that he fancied the girl, but never more than that. He’d never seen the two of them so much as holding hands. Yet, she had been standing with Regulus in the bloody afterlife.   


Sirius plunked himself down in a chair and Remus sat beside him. Sirius couldn’t help but notice that it felt very us vs. them. Not that it felt hostile, but it felt like the two groups of people who moved in different worlds. Sirius and Remus looked old sitting across from these two people, and it was worse than when he was around Harry and Harry’s friends because Regulus had always been just a year younger than him. His youthfulness made Sirius feel ancient, and he wasn’t even 40 yet. Remus and Sirius also seemed… shabby. It wasn’t just their clothes; it was the way the Iset and Regulus sat, the way they held themselves, the expressions on their faces. Regulus looked every inch the Black heir that his parents had wanted him to be, and Sirius hated it.

“Mr. Lupin,” Regulus said when neither Sirius or Remus spoke. “Would you mind telling us when exactly it is and perhaps what’s going on. Sirius hasn’t said anything.”

“I haven’t had time to say anything,” Sirius pointed out. 

“Sure,” Remus picked up the cup of tea that a muttering Kreacher had poured for him. “Its July 1996.” Both Iset and Regulus blinked, their masks cracking for a second. 

“Let me think. You know that the war ended and Voldemort vanished?” The pair nodded. 

“Well, he’s back. He came back just over a year ago.” Regulus flinched, his whole body jerked. Iset gave him a worried look. 

Sirius spoke before Remus could continue, “What side are you on?”

“Sirius!”

“He was a Death Eater, Remus. If he’s going to go running back to Voldemort, we don’t need to tell him anything.”

“I’m not a Death Eater,” Regulus said.  


“Prove it!” Sirius leaned towards him, reaching for his brother’s arm. To Sirius’ surprise, Iset caught his hand.

“How dare you!” Her dark eyes are flashing dangerously. “You don’t know anything. He’s done more to fight Voldemort than either of you.”

For a moment, Sirius thought that he was about to get slapped across the face, but the moment didn't come. 

“Iset,” Regulus’ voice was quiet, soothing. “It’s alright. It’s better that he didn't know. The fewer people who know, the less danger I’m in.” Iset settled back in her seat and Regulus put his hand over hers for a moment.

Regulus rolled up his sleeve, the mark was there, but it had faded. “I don’t think that it ever goes away. But make no mistake, the Dark Lord wants me dead.”

Sirius sat back in his seat, studying his brother. For years, he’d had an image of his brother in his mind. His brother who followed exactly what their parents wanted, became a Death Eater, and got cold feet then tried to back out. The idea of Regulus actually standing up to Voldemort threw him for a loop. Regulus hadn’t even stood up to their parents.

“So what  _ did _ you do?” Sirius asked. It was easy enough for Regulus to say that he wouldn’t go back to Voldemort; snakes can lie. “If I can trust you, then I’ll tell you everything I can.”

Iset was glaring daggers through him, but Sirius ignored it and kept his eye on his brother. 

“The Dark Lord sought, probably still seeks, to make himself immortal,” Regulus said, putting down his teacup. “He found an ancient form of magic and sealed part of his soul into an object. He can’t be killed while that object survives. I suspect this is how he returned to power. I discovered the location of this object and retrieved it. I died in the process.”

“So did you retrieve it, or not?” Sirius asked. 

“Kreacher!” Regulus called. Kreacher appeared with a crack. “The locket?”

“Here Master,” Kreacher handed Regulus a golden locket wrapped in cloth. Regulus held the chain of the locket with the cloth, careful not to touch it. “Kreacher couldn’t destroy it, master!” Kreacher apologized, bowing his nose to the ground. “Kreacher has punished himself many times, but he can’t destroy it.”

Regulus opened his mouth as if to say something, but Kreacher vanished with a crack before he could speak. Regulus laid the locket on the table. Sirius started to reach for it, curious. Regulus batted his hand away, and Sirius frowned at him.

“Don’t touch it.” Regulus doesn’t say ‘you idiot’, but Sirius can hear it. “It’s nasty, even darker magic than anything in this house.”

“So this is how Voldemort survived,” Remus said, leaning forward and Sirius turned to watch him. Remus used a fork from the table to turn the locket over and inspect it. “This is Slytherin’s locket, is it not?”

“It is,” Regulus said. There was an odd expression on his face and Sirius didn’t know what to make of it. There was a time when Sirius knew what Regulus’ facial expressions meant, but that time had long since gone. Regulus drummed his fingers on the table and there’s a long silence. Sirius couldn’t take his eyes away from the locket. Was a piece of Voldemort’s soul really trapped inside?

“Well,” Regulus finally said into the silence. “Are you going to tell us what is going on or not?”

So they did. Between them, Remus and Sirius, they told Regulus everything that had happened in the last seventeen years. Mostly, Remus spoke and Sirius watched his brother, trying to gauge his reactions. It was strange. He had held in his mind all these years the image of Regulus he’d known while they were still in school: a pompous idiot who was happy to go along with their parents as long as it benefited him. But looking at him now, he seemed so... young, and it made Sirius think of Harry. Regulus didn’t look like the pompous Death Eater Sirius remembered, he looked like a lost kid pretending not to be lost.

When Remus finished with the summary of the fight in the Department of Mysteries they all sat back for a while. Both Iset and Regulus seemed to be trying to digest the information thrown at them. Remus was watching them with his calm, even gaze. 

“We need to tell Dumbledore.” It was Sirius who spoke into the silence. Regulus made a face, and to be honest Sirius kind of agreed with him. Sirius hadn’t forgotten the first war; Dumbledore had manipulated the kids on his side, just as much as Voldemort had, even though Dumbledore was on the right side.

“We can imagine that you don’t like him,” Remus said. “But, he’s at the head of the effort against Voldemort. He’s the only wizard Voldemort fears. If anyone needs to know about this locket, it’s him.”

“I suppose,” Regulus said. “But not today. I’d like to have more than two hours back in my body before I have to deal with The Order of The Phoenix.”

Sirius and Remus just blinked at him. 

“Oh, the Death Eaters know about your little group,” Regulus waved a hand dismissively. Sirius was thrown back 15 years. The Death Eaters knew, of course, they knew that’s why everyone died. Images, memories, flashed before his eyes: Marlene sprawled across her own doorstep, Fabian and Giddeon lying next to each other with eyes unseeing, blasted ground splattered with blood and bits of Benjy, Alice staring at the ceiling and not responding, Edgar lying on the ground in front of his dead children, James…  _ James. _

“Sirius! Sirius! Pads!” He realized that Remus was shaking him. Sirius’ hands were gripping the table so hard his hands were white and his body was trembling. 

“I-” Sirius started to speak but no words came to him. He felt a sob threatening to break out of his chest and he covered his face with his hands, trying to focus on calming himself.

He distantly heard someone, probably Regulus, saying “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean.”

“It’s not your fault, it happens.” That must have been Remus. Then Remus was back. He placed his hands on Sirius’ shoulders reassuringly. 

“What can you hear, Sirius,” Remus's voice was calm, steadying.

“Your voice.”

“What do you smell?”

“Tea,” his brain latched on to that smell, clawing itself back to the dining room, tea, biscuits.

“Do you know where you are?” 

“Grimmauld Place,” he knew that his voice was unhappy. “The dining room. We were here with Reg and that girl.”

“Good.” He could hear Remus sitting down next to him. 

“Sorry,” Sirius said gruffly, dropping his hands away from his face. 

“It’s not your fault.”

“Regulus left?” Sirius asked even though it was obvious that they were now alone in the room. 

“I thought it might be best.”

“Probably.”


	7. Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of child abuse
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus slowly walked up the stairs with Iset just behind him. His brain was swirling with so much information that he thought it might explode: his brother, Voldemort, his parents, the war, his old friends, Kreacher, the Horcrux. He was running entirely on autopilot as he climbed the rest of the steps and reached his room. It wasn’t until he found his hand on the silver doorknob of his bedroom door, that he found himself back in his own body. Iset had a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to look at her.

“Are you alright?” She had caught the bottom lip between her teeth in an unusual show of emotion. 

“Yea,” Regulus said, running a hand through his hair and trying to still his mind. “It’s just- it’s a lot.”

Iset nodded in understanding. Her hand slid down from his shoulder to his hand and gave it a squeeze. Her eyes glanced from his face to the door behind him. “Do you need some time alone?”

“What?” Regulus asked in surprise. “No. I’m sorry.”

Those deep brown eyes had gone soft again. “Don’t be sorry. I won’t be offended if you need a moment to yourself.”

Regulus squeezed her hand tightly in silent appreciation. For a long moment, he just looked down at their hands. Her’s was soft and it fit so neatly inside of his that it seemed like it belonged there. With a steadying breath, Regulus looked back up at the door he was standing in front of, which was pretty obviously his bedroom door. 

“I, um, kind of walked here on autopilot,” he admitted. He felt the back of his neck heating up and desperately hoped he wasn’t blushing too hard. “I’m not trying to be presumptuous or anything. I just. There’s a sitting room upstairs we can use. Kreacher can make a guest room for you.” Every word he spoke seemed to tumble out of his mouth faster and faster.

A faint blush rose in Iset’s cheeks; it looked adorable, which was entirely unfair. “It’s not presumptuous. I mean… I don’t mind if you don’t.”

“Right, I just.” Regulus shut his mouth. Anything else he said was just going to make him look like a bigger idiot. Instead, he faced the door and turned the handle. The familiar sight before him offered some comfort. He stepped aside so that Iset could come in. He couldn’t believe that it’d been seventeen years since he set foot in this room. The room didn’t look like it hadn’t been touched in seventeen years either. There was no dust on the furniture and the air was no mustier than anywhere else in the house. Kreacher must have kept it neat for him; Regulus would have to thank him later.  


Crossing the room, Regulus sank down on the edge of the bed. The green brocade comforter was familiar under his hands. Unfortunately, the only two places to sit in the room were his bed and the desk chair. Iset was standing, a bit awkwardly, between the bed and the desk, clearly unsure what to do.

_ Come on Regulus,  _ he told himself _ , you and Iset found each other in the afterlife, you can sit on a bed next to each other.  _ Regulus motioned for Iset to take the seat next to him, and she gave a shy smile before taking the few steps needed to sit next to him. Her hand was on the bed next to him, and he covered it with his. Turning his head slightly, he found that she was already looking at him. Her brown eyes are still soft and her face is only inches away from his now. The light coming through the window turned her skin golden and danced in her eyelashes. The thoughts that had been swirling around his mind drained away as he focused on the graceful curve of her lips. His free hand came up of its own accord and he cradled her face in his hand as he leaned down to kiss her. 

This was nothing like kissing in the afterlife. He could feel the warmth of her body and the softness of her lips; it all felt so much more… alive. As she leaned into the kiss, Iset moved closer to him, and Regulus lifted his hand from between them and set it on her waist. She was so warm and soft and he was hyper-aware of every inch of his skin that touched her. Moving his hand from her cheek to the back of her neck, he deepened the kiss; her mouth opened expectantly under his and one of her hands tangled in his hair. His eyes were closed and Regulus felt like he was falling, in the best possible way; falling into warmth and comfort and electricity.

They pulled away for air, but they kept their heads close together. 

“That was,” Regulus said, struggling for words.

“Yeah,” Iset said with a smile. 

Iset’s hand loosened its grip on his hand and slid gently to his shoulder. Regulus stroked her cheek, then smoothed back the silky black hairs that were escaping. Her hair was more disheveled than he’d ever seen. Iset felt the strands that had escaped, and then reached back and pulled the hair tie at the end of her braid. Long black hair cascaded down in a tumble of midnight waves. It was dawning on him that this was all real, that he was here with Iset, that she wanted to be with him, and that no one was going to come and stop them. He kissed her again because he could because when he died this time, he didn't want to have any regrets. They shifted so they were lying next to each other instead of awkwardly sitting next to each other. This kiss was different from their first three, slow and unrushed without urgency or worry or sorrow. Regulus was lost in the taste of her lips, the feeling of her hair like silk between his fingers, the gentle curve of her waist and the dip of her back; he was drowning, and he didn’t care.

Even when they were done kissing, Regulus kept stroking her hair. He’d never seen it loose before. But without the distraction of kissing, his mind began to refill with worries from earlier. With Iset pressed against him, he felt significantly calmer, but it was still a lot to handle.

“A knut for your thoughts?” Regulus realized that he had been staring blankly into space above Iset’s head and looked down at her

“What?”

“Your thoughts,” she said gently. “Do you wish to share?”

“There’s so much,” Regulus said with a sigh. “I don't even know where to start. I suppose I should be most worried about The Dark Lord and the stupid Horcrux. It needs to be destroyed. Also, I suspect that The Dark Lord has more than one Horcrux, which will need to be found. And I don’t want to deal with it. The last one  _ killed _ me, and I don’t think I’ll be getting another second chance.”

“Maybe you don’t have to do it,” Iset said, rubbing Regulus’ back with her hand. “We’ll give the information over to Dumbledore and let him deal with it. As you said, you already died once for this fight.”

“Maybe,” Regulus said, but his tone was far from convinced. “The Dark Lord is very powerful. He was winning the war, last time. I’m not sure what exactly destroyed his body in the Potters’ house, but I put it down to luck more than talent. I’m not convinced the Order can defeat him this time.”

Iset just nodded and continued to rub his back. She wanted to ask what this Order of The Phoenix was, but she kept quiet for now. Storms were still brewing behind Regulus’ pale blue eyes; her question could wait.

“I’m sorry you’re getting dragged into the war,” Regulus said after several long moments of silence.

“Huh?” 

“I know that you went to America to avoid the War. I’m stuck in the middle of this war,” Regulus' voice was bitter. “And as long as you are with me, you will be too. If, if you want, I’ll help you leave again, get out of Britain. You don’t have to stay here.”

“No,” Iset’s voice was calm. Her denial wasn’t rash or reactionary, it was calm, confident, and it steadied Regulus. “I may have been safe from the war, but I was filled with regret. I won't have those same regrets again. I’m staying.”

Regulus wanted to tell her that she hadn’t seen war yet, that when she saw someone murdered in front of her, blown to bits, or torn apart, that she would change her mind. But he desperately didn’t want her to change her mind. He wanted her here, with him. So, even though it was selfish, he said nothing.

“That’s not all that’s bothering you,” Iset said after another silence. Regulus had said that he should be worried about The Dark Lord, which meant that he was actually worried about something else.

“As I said, there’s so much.” Regulus was looking into space over her head again.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Iset said quietly. Regulus looked down at her with a slightly startled expression on his face. “I’m not trying to pry into your thoughts, Reg. Thoughts, feelings, memories, whatever it is, they are your own. I’m asking because I care and because I want to help. If you are uncomfortable talking about it, you don’t have to.”

“It’s not-” Regulus started. Then tried again, “I don’t think you’re prying. Not like her.” Regulus didn’t have to explain who ‘her’ was. Iset had been the one to help Regulus learn Occlumency to keep his mother out of his head. He shifted his weight uncomfortably but didn’t pull away. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Iset said. “Some things are hard to talk about. Especially when you come from families like ours.”

Regulus exhaled hard through his nose in a sound that was almost a snort. “You don’t seem to be having any problems.”

“I,” this time Iset was flustered. When she spoke, the words rushed out of her in a stream. “Well, I went to a mind healer for a few years while I was in the US.”

“Oh,” Regulus said, surprised. Iset looked away from him, obviously embarrassed. It wasn’t something that Regulus had ever even thought about. Mind healers were almost never talked about, and he’d never heard about them taken seriously. 

“It’s, I mean,” Iset said, floundering for an excuse.

“No, no,” Regulus said. “I had just never thought of it. Did it help?”

“Yeah, I think it did.”’

“Then, I’m glad you went,” Regulus said decisively. After that, they lapsed back into silence. Two thoughts kept coming back to the forefront of Regulus' mind. The first: How were they ever supposed to go back to a normal life? But the second was heavier. 

“I can’t believe that my parents are dead. It doesn’t seem real.” Regulus stalled back into silence, but Iset didn’t push him. “I- They were horrible. But still, I can’t believe it.”

Iset sat up and put Regulus’ head in her lap. She stroked his hair, gently detangling the long strands. “I’m sorry.” She said quietly. Regulus closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of her hands in his hair. It helped him push back the tide of emotions threatening to crash over him.

“It hurts,” he said quietly, in a voice that was ever so slightly surprised. 

“They were still your parents. No matter what they did.”

“I wanted her dead so many times. And now she’s gone… and it hurts?” 

“You’re allowed to hurt, Reg. They were a big part of your life, and you loved them.”

Regulus squeezed his eyes tightly shut; he could feel the burn of tears threatening. Iset was right, he had loved them- did love them. And that made him angry. They had manipulated and abused him, and he still loved them. He was better off without them, and he was still hurting because they were gone. It wasn’t fair. The burn of tears was getting stronger and stronger. His first instinct was to get up, to walk out, to go sit somewhere where no one would see him cry. But Iset’s presence was comforting and her hands were steady, so he covered his face with his hands and let himself cry.


	8. Professor Dumbledore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore comes to discuss horcruxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. For several long moments, he was completely lost. Where was he? Where was the knocking coming from? Slowly memories filtered in and he remembered that he was returned to life and in his bedroom at Grimmauld Place. Iset was curled up on the other side of the bed; they were both still wearing their clothes from yesterday. 

“What?” Regulus managed, shoving himself up and out of bed.

“Master Regulus, Kreacher has served breakfast, sir.” Kreacher’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Mister Dumbledore is coming later. Kreacher wanted to wake up master.”

“Thank you, Kreacher,” Regulus said, rubbing his face. He didn’t feel like talking to Dumbledore today any more than he had yesterday. 

“Kreacher has brought some things for Miss Iset.”

Regulus opened the door. Kreacher was bowing and offering a box. Regulus took it; he could see some sort of dress and a hairbrush at least. “Thank you, Kreacher. Are there towels in the two bathrooms on this floor?”

“Yes, of course, Master Regulus.”

“Thank you Kreacher, that’s all.” Kreacher retreated down the hallway, stopping to bow every few feet. With a small sigh, Regulus turned back to the room. Iset was sitting up on the side of the bed. Her hair was tangled from sleep and covering a yawn with her hand; the sight brought a smile to Regulus’ face. 

“Apparently my brother invited Dumbledore over later today. Kreacher thought we might want to get up and have breakfast. This is for you, I guess.” Regulus set the box on his desk. For some reason, it was just occurring to him how entirely improper it was for Iset to be here in his room all night. 

“I’m going to use the shower. There are two bathrooms, so feel free to use the one down the hall.”

He grabbed clothes from his wardrobe and headed out. 

Iset joined him downstairs forty-five minutes later. She had her hair back in its usual neat braid and was wearing a black dress, which must have belonged to Walburga at some point, but had been altered for her shorter, fuller form. Sirius didn't seem to be awake yet, so it was just them. It reminded Regulus of Hogwarts, where they would sit together every morning at breakfast before most of the school was awake. 

“Morning,” Sirius said as he came into the kitchen later after they had finished eating. Regulus noticed that he was wearing a muggle pair of jeans and a t-shirt. 

“Good morning,” Iset said politely. 

“Kreacher said you invited Dumbledore over,” Regulus said. Iset gave him a reproving look, but he ignored it.

“Yeah,” Sirius said, slumping into his seat and reaching out to pour himself a cup of coffee. “I’d guess he’ll be here after lunch, but he keeps his own schedule, so I can’t be sure.”

“You didn’t think to tell me about this?” 

Sirius just shrugged. Regulus gritted his teeth. But before either of them could say something, there was a jangling ring from the doorbell.

“Son of a-” The rest of Sirius’ curse was cut off by the sudden shrieking of Walburga Black’s portrait. Regulus jerked as if physically slapped. Iset reached for him as Sirius charged out of the room.

“Blood-traitor filth!”

“Shut up you old bat,” Sirius snarled at the portrait. 

“Shame to the house of my ancestors!” 

Regulus groaned and covered his face. He could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment as his mother and brother continued to shout. “I’m sorry,” Regulus said, voice muffled by his hands.

“She sounds like my grandmother,” Iset said, voice completely calm. “Except in English.” Regulus reminded himself that her family was just as crazy as his, as he tried to fight down the blush that he knew was covering his face. “Do you think that was Dumbledore?”

“I don’t know who else it would be. I guess it could be someone else from this Order though.”

They went quiet and strained their ears. They could hear muffled talking, but they were too far away to hear distinct words now that they weren’t yelling. Regulus pushed himself to his feet and offered Iset a hand up. 

“The dining room isn’t for greeting guests,” he said automatically, and Iset smiled.

“It’s also not great for one on one conversations,” she agreed. Moving out the door and up the stairs to the main level, Regulus was grateful that Iset was there. He entered the main hall and saw Dumbledore standing there with Sirius. 

“I’m sorry to come by so early, but I’m afraid I have an important appointment this afternoon.”

“Of course,” Sirius said. “Regulus is-”

“Right here,” Regulus said before Sirius could finish. Both heads turned towards him. Regulus reflexively straightened his spine as piercing blue eyes looked over him. Regulus found himself entirely unintimidated by his former headmaster. He took in the man before him. Dumbledore didn’t appear to have aged much at all in the last seventeen years and he wore the same half-moon glasses he always had. His robes today were far from the craziest thing he had ever seen the headmaster wearing: lavender and covered in stars. But what Regulus did notice was that the fingers of his right hand were blackened and dead looking. 

“Professor Dumbledore,” Regulus said politely. “Why don’t you come up into the sitting room. We can talk there.”

“Thank you, Mr. Black.” 

Regulus turned on his heel and went up to the next landing, opening the door to the sitting room. He held the door first for Iset and then for Dumbledore. Sirius looked unsure whether to come into the room or not, and Regulus closed the door. If Sirius really wanted to be in on the discussion, he would be; Regulus wasn't going to wait around for him to make up his mind. 

“Please have a seat,” Regulus said as he used his wand to light a fire in the grate. Dumbledore was sitting on one of the very elegant and highly uncomfortable chairs that filled the room, and Regulus joined Iset on the love seat. She sat neatly at the edge of the seat with her ankles crossed and hands on her lap. He’d seen his mother sitting almost exactly like that in that spot so many times that he had a horrible moment of sickening deja vu. He blinked it away.

“Would you like something to drink?” Regulus asked. 

“No thank you,” Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. Regulus shifted in his seat, not sure what to do now that he had finished his host script. Luckily, Dumbledore spoke first. “I must admit, Mr. Black, that I am very surprised to see you.”

“I can imagine.” There was a long pause, but Regulus didn’t offer any more information. To Dumbledore’s credit, he looked as if he routinely spoke to long-dead ex-students.

“Well, I suppose we should get down to the matter at hand. Sirius told me that you had very important information about Voldemort.”

Regulus nodded. Somehow giving The Dark Lord’s secret to Dumbledore felt like a bigger betrayal than stealing the locket in the first place, and he was momentarily tongue-tied. Then he mentally kicked himself for being an idiot. Regulus told Dumbledore the story: how the Dark Lord had used Kreacher to place the locket, how Regulus had realized what it was, and finally how he had gone to retrieve it. 

Dumbledore listened intently and without interruption, and his calm exterior never cracked. Regulus noted the way that Dumbledore only nodded when Regulus mentioned Horcruxes. The professor had already figured that out then.

“I must say,” Dumbledore said when Regulus had finished. “That I am very impressed by you, Mr. Black. It took me more than a decade to consider Horcruxes.”

Regulus didn’t say anything; he was used to being underestimated, just because he was smaller, quieter, and rather less exuberant than his brother. 

“I’ll hazard a guess that you think he made more than one Horcrux.” 

“I suspect so.”

“You are correct,” Dumbledore said. “Two of his Horcruxes have already been destroyed.”

“You think there are even more,” Regulus said, thinking quickly. The Dark Lord would want a symbolic number, something powerful: seven, seven parts. “Seven parts, six Horcruxes, three found, three to be found, one to be destroyed.”

“Very good, Mr. Black.” Dumbledore sounded as if Regulus had just given him the correct answer to a question in a transfiguration lecture, and not worked out a weakness of the darkest wizard in the country.

“You want to know if I know where the rest of them are or what they are?”

“Do you?”

“I don’t know,” Regulus said. He could come up with something given he had time to think. 

“Mr. Black,” Dumbledore said, leaning forward. He paused, choosing his words. “We have precious few people on our side who have been close to Voldemort: two, including you. Your knowledge of Voldemort is invaluable.”

“Spare me your recruitment speech. I can’t attempt to resume my life until the Dark Lord is gone, so I’ll help you.”

Dumbledore smiled at him. “You have a good heart, Regulus, you don’t have to pretend otherwise.”

Regulus said nothing. Dumbledore sighed. “Another thing, Sirius has again offered this house as a headquarters for the Order.”

Regulus barely bit back his ‘of course he did’. But it must have shown on his face because Dumbledore paused. 

“I assumed he had spoken with you.”

“You should know him better than that,” Regulus said. “But I’m not going to stop you all from having meetings here.”

“That is very generous of you,” Dumbledore said. Regulus just stared at him. “Alastor Moody would like to come by before the others and ensure that all of the safety measures placed on this house are intact. It is possible that the magic could have been damaged or even broken when you and Sirius returned from death and reversed the line of succession.”

“I’m sure Sirus will let him in,” Regulus said. 

Dumbledore stood up.

“Wait!” Iset’s voice broke into the conversation surprising both Regulus and Dumbledore. Dumbledore turned his attention to her.

“Do you have something to add, Miss Senusret?”

“It’s just Iset now,” Iset said with a grimace. Regulus supposed that she didn’t want to be reminded of her parents every time someone talked to her; he filed it away as something to talk about later. Dumbledore inclined his head. “You didn’t tell Regulus anything about the other Horcruxes. You expect him to come up with ideas for you without providing any information. More complete data leads to better extrapolations and you know it.”

There was a long pause and Regulus looked from Iset to Dumbledore and waited to see what Dumbledore would do. Finally, Dumbledore smiled and sat back down. Iset didn’t smile back.

“You are, of course, quite correct Iset. You’ll have to forgive me; it has become quite a habit of mine to hold any information very close: especially information this important. It would be disastrous if it reached Voldemort’s ears that we were aware of the Horcruxes. Still, I will tell you what I know.” He told them about the diary and the ring. The diary had been brought to Hogwarts through Lucius Malfoy and destroyed with a basilisk fang. The Gaunt family ring from the Gaunt’s house. When he had finished, he said, “I hope you will keep this between us.”

“Of course,” Regulus said automatically. 

Dumbledore smiled at him and got to his feet. “Do consider the matters we discussed,” Dumbledore said. Regulus nodded and moved to open the door for the professor. 

“Oh,” Regulus said as Dumbledore walked by him. “Who is the other turncoat?”

“Why, I’m surprised Sirius hasn’t told you. It’s Severus, Severus Snape.” 

“Good day, Professor.”

“Good day, Mr. Black.” Regulus watched as Dumbledore walked down the hall and exited out the front door. He sagged a bit when the door closed. 


	9. Discussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Once the door was closed, Regulus returned to Iset. She had relaxed her posture a bit and propped her head on her hand, obviously thinking.

“What is it?” 

“There are things he’s not telling us,” Iset replied. Regulus snorted, that should be obvious. “And the curse on his hand-”

“What curse?”

“Didn’t you see his hand?”

“Of course,” Regulus frowned. It made sense that it was a curse. “But you know the curse?”

“Curses are a family specialty, remember.” Her voice was dry, but there was a hint of amusement there. “That’s an old curse, one of ours. Though it was poorly done if he’s still alive. I don’t like seeing it.”

For a long moment, Regulus said nothing, letting her words settle into his brain. It was an Egyptian curse, one that Iset recognized. She didn’t like seeing it, because it reminded her of her family or because she thought her family had something to do with it? The questions spun around in his head, but he decided not to voice them. If she wanted to talk about it more, she would. 

“Still, we can’t do anything about it. We should focus on what we can do.” He offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. “I guess I will have to do some thinking on these Horcruxes.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not like I know the Dark Lord especially well though.”

“We should do some shopping first.” Iset’s statement surprised him. 

“What?” 

“Well, to start Sirius and I could probably use wands. And, there are other things.”

“Good point,” Regulus said and then after a second, “other things? Like clothes?”

Iset laughed a bit, “I certainly wouldn’t mind some clothes of my own, though I don’t have any money.”

Regulus waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about the money. Sirius and I have plenty.”

“Though you have to access your vault somehow.”

“Kreacher can access it,” Regulus explained. “The family set it up generations ago, so they didn’t have to do the shopping for themselves.” 

“Efficient,” Iset said. “Let’s get some tea before we do anything.” Regulus let out a small laugh and reached for the bell on the mantle that was meant for summoning Kreacher. He rang it and Kreacher was there in an instant, putting out new china from the cupboard. 

“Kreacher,” Regulus said. “Thank you for the tea. Miss Iset and I want to go shopping later, I’ll need you to get money from the vault for me.”

“Yes Master Regulus,” Kreacher bowed, touching his nose to the floor. “Kreacher can do the shopping for you, Master. No need for the Master to trouble himself.”

“Thank you, Kreacher, but I don’t mind.” Kreacher left the room, muttering something that Regulus didn’t bother to try and hear. 

“Out of my way, you toerag,” Sirius’ voice preceded him into the sitting room as he sent a dirty look over his shoulder at Kreacher. 

“Sirius,” Regulus started in a scolding tone. Really, Sirius should have gotten over insulting house-elves at some point in the last seventeen years. 

“Don’t bother,” Sirius said, tossing himself carelessly into a seat. Which couldn’t feel very good, considering how uncomfortable these chairs were to start with. “You guys want to go shopping? You aren’t planning on just walking around like you are now? Right? Or did you forget that you’re supposed to be dead?”

“Cosmetic spells for disguise are simple enough to manage,” Iset said with a wave of her hand. “Besides, we have the advantage of disbelief on our side. No one who sees us is going to think it’s us.”

“Iset planned on you coming with us to get you a wand,” Regulus said, clearly annoyed. “But if you plan on being irritating, you can just stay here.”

“Look, I’d love to take a stroll outside, but I’m a convicted murder, remember.” There was bitterness in Sirius’ voice. 

“You can turn into a dog!” Regulus cried. “Or did you finally register the fact that you’re an animagus?”

“I- what?” 

Regulus rolled his eyes. “Well,  _ Padfoot,  _ you and your friends are the  _ least _ subtle people that I have ever met. The only reason the entire school didn’t know about your boyfriend being a werewolf and you three being animagi is that they never considered that kids are capable of that sort of advanced magic.”

Sirius just stared at Regulus, mouth slightly open. Regulus could guess what he was wondering: had Regulus always known that he was an animagus, that Remus was a werewolf, and that he was dating Remus? 

“I never told anyone if that’s what you're wondering,” Regulus said. “Unlike some people, having a brother actually meant something to me.”

Sirius flinched as if Regulus had slapped him. Before Sirius could collect himself and come up with a response, Regulus turned away from him.

“Iset, there were some other things you wanted? Maybe we should make a list. Sirius has a point, we shouldn’t wander around too much outside.”

Iset nodded. “There are a few reference texts I’d like and a few other things for my magic. I can make a list if we get some parchment.”

“Sure,” Regulus said, getting to his feet, “why don’t we go up to the library. You can see if we have any of the texts you want. I don’t even know everything that’s in there. There’ll also be parchment and quills.”

“Wait,” Sirius said. They turned practically in unison to look at him. “What do you mean by things for your magic?”

“Iset studied wandless magic,” Regulus said with a frown at Sirius. 

“Wandless magic? Don’t you just… use the spell?”

Iset let out a long sigh. “That is one type of wandless magic. Magic is much older than wands, much older than your western Latin based spells. People have been using magic all around the world without wands practically since the dawn of time. You didn’t think that the wizards who cursed the Egyptian tombs used wands, did you? Wands are a useful focus for magic power, but not the only ones. There are entire schools of magic that you don’t need wands for. I have a limit to what I can cast without words or a magical focus, just like everyone else. I just know how to use more things than a wand to cast a spell.”

“Why didn’t we learn any of that then?” Sirius demanded 

“Because Hogwarts is a European school of magic,” Iset said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Generally, non-wand based magic is seen as uncivilized; it's been that way since the founders.”

Iset stood up, clearly done with explanations. “See you in an hour or so if you plan on coming with us,” she said and walked out of the room. Regulus was quick to follow. They walked in silence up the stairs to the library. Once they stepped into the large room and the heavy oak door closed behind them, Regulus reached out and caught Iset’s hand, pulling her towards him. He still didn’t quite believe that he could just touch her like this. 

“Thank you,” Regulus said as he embraced her, pressing his face into her hair. “For helping with Dumbledore and dealing with my brother.”

“I don’t mind,” Iset said, turning her head up so that they were looking at each other. 

Regulus snorted. “Good,” Regulus said, “Because I’m going to be needing your help for quite a while.”

Iset laughed, and she looked so good in that instant that he had to kiss her. Everything else fled his mind as she kissed him back. Tightening the arm around her waist, Regulus pulled her closer. Iset deepened the kiss, and one of her hands caught in his hair. Her lips parted under his, and Regulus happily lost himself to the kiss, to the taste of her mouth, the softness of lips. But soon he had to pull back for air. Iset’s cheeks were pink and she was breathless and beautiful. Her smile broke into an outright laugh as Regulus rubbed his neck, which was decidedly unhappy with the angle.

“You’re too tall,” she said, covering her mouth as if to hide her laugh. 

“Blatantly false,” Regulus said with a smile of his own. “You are just too short.”

“I’m basically average height!” She protested. 

“Sure,” he said, still smiling, and kissed her forehead. “We came in here for a reason, didn’t we?” 

“I suppose we did.” She stepped away from him and towards the desk which was decidedly dusty, and Regulus wrinkled his nose as he opened one of the drawers to pull out parchment, quill, and ink. The parchment was dry but usable. 

“We can add parchment to the list then,” Regulus said. He walked around the bookshelves as Iset wrote. He went to the section about magical theory. He wasn’t sure exactly what Iset was looking for so he looked for what he knows she studies: theory of wandless magic, but he didn’t find anything obviously useful. He did, however, get a faceful of dust. He coughed and resolved to ask Kreacher to clean the library. Iset appeared by his side, holding a rolled-up scroll. Her eyes sped over the books and she shook her head.

“Do you have a section on runes?”

“Sure,” Regulus said, moving over several shelves. Iset trailed her finger along the spines, sending up a mini cloud of dust. Regulus pulled back with a sneeze, but Iset didn’t seem to mind it too much. In the end, she pulled out one book that Regulus had never seen before. There were too many books here for him to know them all. 

“It’s a pretty standard reference for Old Futhark, but it can be useful.” Regulus nodded, he recognized the name and the alphabet from his Ancient Runes class. “I’ll definitely need a few more.”

“No problem,” Regulus replied. The Black Family fortune could handle the purchase of a few books, even rare ones. 

“Well,” Iset said, walking away from him to set the book on the desk. “I guess we should disguise ourselves and get ready to go? Not much point in standing around.”

“Sure,” Regulus leaned against the desk. “I’m not familiar with spells for disguise, though. I’ll have to rely on your expertise.”

Iset snorts, “Expertise, as if. Cosmetic spells were very popular while I was in the US though, so I know several of them. Can I use your wand?”

Regulus fished it out of the pocket of his robes and passed it over, handle first. Generally, it felt weird to let someone else use your wand, but Regulus found that he didn’t mind; he hoped that his wand didn’t mind too much either. Iset took it carefully and did a simple spell that had green sparks coming out of the end of the wand. 

“I’m going to change your hair color,” Iset told him. “It’s one of the fastest ways to drastically change your looks. And no one is going to suspect you of being a Black if you have blonde hair, even if you have distinctive facial features.” 

Regulus just nodded. 

Iset stood on her toes to move the tip of the wand over Regulus’ head. There was a momentary sensation of heat racing down his head and then it was gone, and Iset pulled back. Regulus reached up and caught a strand of his hair, pulling it in front of his face so he could see; it was blond. 

“I’m not going to lie,” Iset said, biting her lip, “that looks weird.”

“Thanks,” Regulus said gruffly. “When will it wear off?”

“It lasts a few days if you don’t do the counterspell, which I will do when we get back.”

“Got it.” Regulus pushed himself into a standing position. “Are you going to do your own spells?”

“I need a mirror,” Iset said. “Though, I’m not entirely sure it’s necessary. I’m not as recognizable as you.”

“Better to be cautious.” Iset nodded and headed towards the door of the library. Regulus moved around her to open the door. “There’s a bathroom two doors down, it should have a mirror.” 

With a nod, Iset walked ahead of him to the room. The bathroom was almost as dusty as the library. The mirror also appeared to be cracked. Luckily, Iset seemed to know a spell to clean the mirror. Regulus watched wordlessly as Iset waved the wand over her own head. It was strange to watch a brown color race from the roots of her hair to the bottom of her braid. But, if he thought that was strange, he wasn’t prepared for her next spell. The rich golden fawn of her skin slowly lightened until it was something passable as caucasian. 

“Speaking of looks weird,” Regulus muttered. Iset just laughed and motioned for him to join her by the mirror. Looking in the mirror, Regulus blinked in surprise. “Merlin! I look like a Malfoy!” 

Iset laughed. “I think it's safe to say that no one will recognize us. Let’s see if Kreacher is back and get ready to go.”

“We should probably see if Sirius is planning on coming with us,” Regulus said with a soft sigh. “Can you make his hair grey?”

“I can,” Iset said with a small laugh. 

“Great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Sirius and Regulus ever figure out how to be nice to each other? debatable.
> 
> Also a note on character height. Sirius is described as a tall man who is a whole head taller than Peter Pettigrew in the books, so I put him at 6'4 (193 cm) or so. Regulus is smaller, maybe 6'2 (187). Iset is a short-ish woman, putting her at around 5'2 or 5'3 (157 cm).


	10. Wands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visiting Diagon Alley and Ollivanders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW very brief mention of ptsd
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus and Iset decided to use the floo network to get to the Leaky Cauldron as neither of them was keen on repeating their experience with apparition from the previous day. Sirius came with them, and as Regulus predicted, he was  _ not _ happy with the grey hair. He’d ranted for a full ten minutes, but Iset refused to change it to anything else. He couldn’t say anything about it once they stepped into the Leaky Cauldron. Regulus looked around himself, he had never frequented the Leaky Cauldron, but it seemed almost unchanged since the last time he had been there. The old man behind the bar appeared to have one or two fewer teeth, but he’d never had a full set as long as Regulus could remember. His mother had always complained about how unsightly it was. 

Iset walked beside him as they headed towards the brick wall at the back and Diagon Alley. Sirius stayed a bit behind them, still clearly annoyed. Regulus tapped the bricks and watched as the stones pulled back. It was early in the afternoon on a weekday, so the street was far from crowded. There were a few small groups of people moving around, though.

“We should go to Ollivander’s first,” Sirius said, walking up even with Iset and Regulus. “That way if we have to leave quickly, we at least have wands.”

“Alright,” Regulus agreed and they adjusted their trajectory towards the wand shop. 

“Mr. Ollivander is a friend of Dumbledore’s,” Sirius said quietly. “He knows about me, so we can trust him. Which is good, because I bet he’ll see through our disguises.”

“Indeed, he’s a very perceptive man,” Iset said. “I imagine it’s very useful for his job.

Regulus paused when they reached the shop. It looked how it always had, boxes of wands stacked everywhere up to the ceiling and motes of dust dancing in the lights. He remembered the last time he had entered this shop when he was eleven. When Regulus had picked up his wand and a shower of silver sparks fell and danced around him, Ollivander had looked from him to his parents with those large, odd, pale eyes and said “How unexpected. Unexpected indeed.” Regulus still didn’t know what the man had meant. Exhaling a long breath, Regulus opened the door.

The three of them stepped into the silence of the shop. The bell on the door chimed gently as it swung shut behind them. They all waited in complete silence for Ollivander to appear, and Regulus wondered if they were remembering when they got their wands as well. 

“How unusual,” they heard the paper-thin voice from the stacks before its owner appeared in front of them. “Two adults coming to my shop for new wands.”

“Hello, Mr. Ollivander,” Iset said politely. 

“Ah, Miss Senusret. A walnut wand, quite unusual for one so young. But I’ve seen that book you wrote; no less than I’d expect from the wielder of a walnut wand.” Ollivander turned his eyes to Sirius. “And you. This is your third wand, is it not? The other you had only two years. Dragon heartstring both times, I do recall. Strong wands. A great shame that the first one was broken.” 

Sirius winced at the mention of his wand being snapped. At the thought of his wand being snapped, Regulus reached into his pocket to check his. The motion must have caught Ollivander’s attention because he turned to face Regulus next.

“Yes, yes, I remember you. You’ve grown quite a bit since I last saw you. A cypress wand with phoenix feather core. Quite an unexpected wand for someone from your family. My father used to say that he knew a man would die a hero’s death when he held a cypress wand.” Regulus swallowed hard. “Yes,” Ollivander said in a voice that was nearly a whisper, “you’ve seen death haven’t you.” A shiver went down Regulus’ spine, Ollivander was creepy.

“Hardly a hero’s death,” Regulus said stiffly. He could see Iset shaking her head in disagreement out of the corner of his eye. “But we’re here for these two.” He changed the subject, gesturing at Iset and Sirius.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Ollivander pulled out his measuring tape and began taking Sirius’ measurements. Regulus tried to focus on that process, boring as it was. His brain wanted to slip away to the cave, the lake, the dead white hands. He gritted his jaw. This was not the time for that. Suddenly, Iset’s hand was in his.

Iset didn’t say anything, though her brown eyes were full of concern. She just squeezed his hand tightly. Regulus focused on her face, the color of her eyes, the shape of her lips. It helped him settle himself back in Ollivander’s shop. He squeezed her hand back and hoped she could see the gratitude in his face. A small smile, just the slight turn at the corner of her mouth, made him think that she did. They both jumped, then ducked as a loud bang sounded from behind them. Regulus’ heart went into overdrive, and it took most of his self-control to resist drawing his wand. 

“Hey,” Iset said, so quietly he barely heard her. She ran her hands up and down his arms. “It’s just your idiot brother. We’re safe. You’re safe.”

Regulus winced and rubbed his face with one hand. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

“It’s perfectly understandable,” Iset said. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Regulus sighed. Iset released him and turned back towards Sirius, who was trying another wand. This one did absolutely nothing. Ollivander took it back and handed him another one. This time, when Sirius gave it a wave the tip lit up with golden light. 

“Yes, yes, very good.” Ollivander said, “Spruce wand, 13 and a half inches, dragon heartstring, unyielding. It’s not too unlike your last wand, which is hardly a surprise, after all.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ollivander,” Sirius said, pulling the seven galleons out of his purse and lying them on the counter. 

“Now,” Ollivander said, large pale eyes turning away from Sirius. “Miss Iset. Why don’t you come forward?”

Ollivander held up his magic measuring tape and let it start to take Iset’s measurements as he went rifling through boxes. Regulus stifled a laugh as Iset went cross-eyed when the measuring tape measured the distance between her eyes and the length of her nose. 

“Enough,” Ollivander waved his hand and the measuring tape fell to the desk. “Let’s see, I have a few walnut wands here, always a good place to start for someone like you.” 

Iset took the wand offered by Ollivander but almost dropped it as the whole thing turned bright red and apparently hot. 

“Nope, definitely not,” Ollivander said, picking up a new one. Iset took this one more gingerly. However, it did nothing even when she gave it a swish. After she tried a third wand, this one also did nothing. Ollivander frowned and went back to his stack of wands. “Something different then, not walnut. Beech, let’s try that. Unicorn hair, I think.

He returned with another pair of boxes. Opening the first box, he proffered it to Iset. When she reached for the wand, it almost jumped into her hand. With a smile, Ollivander motioned for Iset to give it a wave and she did. The box in Ollivander’s hands rose to float a few inches and Ollivander laughed.

“Splendid! Splendid!” He clapped his hands as Iset carefully stowed the wand away. “11 ¾ inches, springy, very good, very good.”

“Thank you very much,” Iset said as Regulus fished the gold out of his pocket and set it on the counter. Ollivander waved them away as the three headed towards the door. Regulus glanced over his shoulder as they stepped out onto the street, but Ollivander had already vanished into the back of his store.

“He’s an unusual old man,” Regulus said as they walked down the cobblestone street.

“For certain,” Iset agreed. “Where to next?” 

“We should do books last because they are the heaviest,” Regulus said.

“Let’s go to Knockturn Alley then.”

“I’ll just go to the Leaky Cauldron or Florean’s,” Sirius said, “I’ve no desire to see Knockturn Alley again. Have fun kids,” he waved at them and turned away.

“Kids,” Regulus muttered as he turned back towards Knockturn Alley.

“He’s still upset that he has grey hair,” Iset said. “It probably makes him feel old.”

“Probably,” Regulus said, then he smiled. “I hope you know that I have no idea what you’re shopping for. I’m just here to pay and help you carry things.”

Iset waved her hand dismissively. “Nonsense, I keep you around for the company.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WANDS, okay, I did a lot of research to relate the wands to how I see the characters. I based this off of Wizarding World's wand lore. I've summarized the relevant bits here  
>    
> **Woods:**
> 
> Walnut: Highly intelligent witches and wizards ought to be offered a walnut wand for trial first.  
> Cypress: Cypress wands are associated with nobility. ... Wands of cypress find their soul mates among the brave, the bold and the self-sacrificing: those who are unafraid to confront the shadows in their own and others’ natures.  
> Spruce: Spruce produces wands that are ill-matched with cautious or nervous natures. A spruce wand... match... is a bold spell-caster with a good sense of humour  
> Beech: The true match for a beech wand will be, if young, wise beyond his or her years, and if full-grown, rich in understanding and experience. Beech wands perform very weakly for the narrow-minded and intolerant.
> 
> **Cores:**
> 
> Dragon Heart String: Dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells  
> Phoenix feathers: Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners  
> Unicorn hair: Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic
> 
> **Flexibility:**
> 
> Wand flexibility or rigidity denotes the degree of adaptability and willingness to change possessed by the wand-and-owner pair


	11. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shopping adventures in Knockturn and Diagon Alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Iset and Regulus walked in silence as they turned down Knockturn Alley. The buildings here seemed to loom over them, blotting out parts of the sky. Regulus felt himself going tense. He was much more likely to come across one of The Dark Lord’s allies here than on Diagon Alley. Luckily, the middle of the day wasn’t primetime shopping in this back alley. Iset moved through the Alley in a way that suggested that she was familiar with it, passing by shops without looking at them, turning down a sidestreet without checking the street sign. Iset stopped at a shop door. Regulus looked around him; he’d never been to this part of Knockturn Alley before. Curious, he looked at the sign on the door, it said ‘Eastern Market’ and then text in something that wasn’t English.

“What does it say?”

“I don’t know. This place is run by a small group of women from different parts of the world to provide magical supplies for eastern-style magic. I think the sign is in Vietnamese. I can’t read it.”

Iset pushed open the door and started down the stairs. Regulus followed her, even more curious than he had been before. The air smelled faintly of Frankincense and spices, though the smell got stronger as they descended down the stairs. They reached the bottom of the stairs and found themselves in a surprisingly large room. Shelves were stacked to the ceiling and practically overflowing with merchandise.

Iset called something into the store that he didn’t understand. It took him a second to realize that she was probably speaking in Arabic. Someone called a response from the depths of the shop and Iset started moving forward, Regulus sticking close behind her. The aisle of shelves they were walking along seemed to be stocked with things that reminded him of potion ingredients; dried plants, parts of animals, jars, and boxes labeled in different languages. 

They turned a corner and came face to face with an old woman. Her hair was wrapped in a brightly colored scarf that was matched by an equally bright dress. Her dark skin was lined and she held a walking stick, but her eyes were bright and she moved with confidence. When she saw Iset, she started speaking rapid-fire. Iset talked to her for a few minutes. Regulus shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around, resisting the urge to shift from foot to foot.  _ Blacks don’t fidget. _

“Stay here,” Iset said and he jerked a bit, realizing that he had zoned out. “She says she doesn’t want people who don’t know what they’re doing knocking over all of her stock.”

“I,” Regulus started, then “what?”

Iset laughed “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be right back.”

“Alright,” Regulus said with a shrug. He was curious about what sort of things were stocked in this shop, but he wasn’t going to argue about it. He watched as Iset vanished down an aisle and the shopkeeper walked away from him. Looking around, he found that he was standing in front of a cabinet that was filled with different rocks, crystals, and bits of jewelry. He studied them from his position as he waited. Iset wasn’t gone for long. She reappeared with a basket over her arm. 

“The register is this way, come on.” Regulus followed her, looking around as he did so. He found one shelf that was stocked with what appeared to be a huge variety of different types of chalk. He resolved to have Iset explain more of her work to him later. They reached a counter where the woman from before was standing. She checked each item and put it into a bag, all the while chattering away to Iset. Interestingly, he noticed that Iset’s cheeks were going a bit pink as the woman kept talking. Regulus passed Iset his purse, she could count things out herself. Once she’d paid, Iset retreated from the counter, exchanging a few last sentences with the shopkeeper. 

“What was that about?” Regulus asked once they were out of the shop and back on the street. Iset rubbed her face.

“She told me that I should go back home. That I’m starting to sound British.” 

“Is that all?” Regulus asked knowing that it wasn’t and curious despite himself. 

“Close enough. She was just prying that's all; she likes to gossip.” 

“She didn’t recognize you?” Regulus said with a sudden jolt, as they stepped out into Knockturn Alley’s main.

“No, no,” Iset said. 

Regulus let it drop, and turned his attention to the street around them. It was still mostly empty. The few other people they saw kept their heads down and moved quickly. Still, he was grateful when they stepped out into Diagon Alley. 

“I should get some clothes next. Do you want to wait at the bookstore? That’s probably more interesting.”

Regulus shrugged. “Sure. Why don’t you go to Twilfitt and Tattings? There will be fewer people there. I’ll go to the bookstore though, Death Eaters and the rest of the 28 are more likely to be at Twilfitt’s.” Regulus pulled a few galleons out of the purse and passed it back to her. “I’ll be at Flourish and Blotts.”

“See you in a bit,” Iset said, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze before turning and walking away. 

Regulus walked in the opposite direction towards Flourish and Blotts. He tried to think if there were any books he needed. Quality Quidditch Supplies was on the way to Flourish and Blotts and he let himself stop to look through the window. There was a sleek black-handled broom in the window. In gold letters, it said “Thunderbolt”. Regulus had never heard of anything like it. It was a beautiful broom, and if the specs on the parchment were to be believed, it outstripped any broom he’d ever owned. He supposed that made sense, it had been 17 years, innovation as bound to happen. Turning away from the broom, he headed to the bookstore. He had a weird sense of Deja Vu as he walked into the store. It was somehow the same as he remembered it yet different. He started to walk aimlessly along the shelves. 

Transfiguration, Charms, Divination, No, no, and no. Bored, he decided to head up the stairs to the less commonly sold books. He passed a Muggle Fiction section, then Self Help, and then found himself in Sex and Sex Education. Regulus felt his cheeks growing hot and was about to backpedal out of there when his brain caught on the word education. His first instinct was that these would be full of the sort of dirty magazines his dorm mates had hidden under their beds. But as his eyes raced over the titles, he realized this wasn’t so: Sex and Puberty, Boys Growing Up, The Basics of Sex, Guide to Anal Sex for Witches and Wizards, Girls and Sex, How to Please a Witch, the titles went on and on. Regulus stared, it had never occurred to him that there would be books about  _ how _ these things worked. He realized that everything he knew about sex came from lewd comments by his friends. 

“Hello!” A cheerful voice came from behind him and Regulus froze, blood rushing to his face. He turned around to see a cheerful witch wearing the Flourish and Blotts staff uniform. “Can I help you?

“No!” Regulus said, his voice a bit too high-pitched. “Just wandering really.”

The woman gave him a comforting smile. “No need to be embarrassed. Muggle schools have lectures on sex education. It seems like they could do something at Hogwarts. Maybe a talk by the Head of House.”

The idea of having one of his teachers, like Slughorn, discussing sex made all the blood run out of Regulus’ face and made him feel ill. Regulus was really regretting having come up here at all. Before he could formulate a reason to escape, the woman was reaching around him to grab a book off the shelf.

“Take this,” she said, handing him a small book called Sex and Sexuality, the Basics. Regulus took it because he didn’t know what else to do. 

Regulus started to edge away from the woman. Any thoughts of polite conversation having fled his brain. 

“Oh and this,” the woman handed him a book with a wink. Regulus looked down, it was How to Please a Witch. Regulus fled away down the stairs, books in hand. The woman followed him down the stairs, much to his dismay. She pointed him towards the checkout counter and he obeyed. He found himself purchasing the books and shoving them into the depths of his robes. While it was true that he had a huge lack of knowledge in that department, he didn’t want to think about it. Turning away from the counter he went back into the bookstore. He stopped in History of Magic: safe and dull. His eyes slid along the spines of the books, but he hardly took in any information. 

Still, the name Salazar Slytherin caught his attention and he reached out to pull the green leather-bound book off of the shelf. He turned to the index and searched for ‘locket’. There was one page about it, so Regulus turned to it. There was a sketch of the locket, some of the details were wrong, but it wasn’t far off. Regulus turned his attention to the text underneath.

_ ‘Slytherin’s locket is one of the few relics remaining from the Hogwarts founders. Hufflepuff’s cup and Gryffindor’s sword are the other two. Legend says that Ravenclaw had a diadem that added to her great wisdom, but this object has not been seen since the time of the founders and its existence is suspect.’ _

Regulus tapped his finger against the book, thinking. The three Horcruxes thus far had been a diary, which was emotionally important to the Dark Lord, the ring which was a symbol of his family’s blood status, and Slytherin’s locket which was one of the few things remaining from the great founder of Slytherin. Regulus doubted there were many objects like the diary that were emotionally important to the Dark Lord. He also doubted that a family that had fallen as far as the Gaunt’s had many other family heirlooms, though that should be investigated. There weren’t really other relics of Slytherin’s either. There were however relics of the other Hogwarts founders. Objects of great historical importance would appeal to the Dark Lord’s vanity. 

Regulus snapped the book shut. There were plenty of books about Slytherin in his family library, he had actually found information about the locket in there before. There might be something about Ravenclaw in the library, though he doubted it. He would bet money there were no books about Gryffindor. So, he started to search the shelves for books on the other founders. It wasn’t hard to find books about Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, Gryffindors being as house obsessed as Slytherin and Ravenclaws being obsessed with knowledge and research, but finding texts on Hufflepuff proved harder. He’d found just two and was comparing their contents to see if he needed both of them when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He instantly stilled and looked up, but it was just Iset. She had several Twillfit bags held in her hand. 

“Find something useful?” she asked with a smile. Regulus relaxed and smiled back at her

“A few books about the Hogwarts founders.”

“Hogwarts founders?” Iset asked.

“I’ll explain later,” he said and the ‘when we aren’t in public’ was understood.

“Alright,” she said easily. I hope the books are here, I’d hate to have to go back to Knockturn Alley.”

“Let’s hope,” Regulus said standing up, holding a small stack of books about Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. He felt the books tucked into his robes as he moved and had to fight a flash of embarrassment. He focused on the books in his hands, then at the bags Iset was holding. “Here, I can hold your bags and wait by the register.”

“I can manage,” she said.

“I’m sure you can,” he said, raising a hand defensively. “I'm just trying to be helpful.” 

“Right,” she said with an apologetic look. “Sorry.” She handed him two of the bags and kept the other two. “I’ll see you by the checkout.”

Iset reappeared with four or five books in her arms. Two were slender, but one was big enough to be a dictionary. The other two seemed to be standard bound books. Regulus dropped his books on the counter next to hers. Iset fished the galleons out of the purse for the books before handing it back to Regulus.

“I’m afraid I’ve made a rather large dent in your purse,” she said as the worker wrapped up the books.

Regulus just laughed. “It’s nothing really. Money is something my family has plenty of. We should go, though.” Regulus said, growing more serious. Iset just nodded, the longer they were out and about the more likely they were to be spotted. They exited Flourish and Blotts to find a black dog sitting by the front door wagging its tail. Regulus just raised an eyebrow and headed towards the Leaky Cauldron with the dog in tow. He wanted to know why Sirius had turned into a dog, but since Sirius appeared calm, he supposed it wasn’t anything too dangerous. Still, it made him uneasy. 

They walked to the Leaky Cauldron in silence. Regulus put money in the tip jar since they were using the fireplace without buying anything. He stepped into the fireplace and the dog crowded in with him. It was rather awkward to drop the floo powder with everything he was holding and a dog around his legs, but he somehow managed. A rush of green flame and many fireplaces later, he stepped out onto the green hearth rug in Grimmauld Place’s main sitting room. A few moments later, Iset came through the fireplace. 

Regulus let out a long sigh. They were safe.


	12. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus relives horrors of his time as a Death Eater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: This episode revolved around Regulus having a PTSD episode and being stuck in flashbacks of the murder and violence he saw/committed as part a Death Eater. If graphic violence or PTSD is triggering for you, I would avoid this. I'll put a brief summary in the footnotes if you want to skip the chapter.

Regulus woke up to pale morning light streaming through his curtains. He pushed himself into a sitting position and rubbed his eyes. Looking around his unchanged room and half asleep, he suddenly felt that everything had been a dream, that his mother’s screaming voice was about to echo through the house to drag him downstairs. But the silence remained. Regulus looked around his room and caught sight of the part of his wall covered in papers about the Dark Lord. Jumping out of bed he grabbed the first one and ripped it from the wall. Anger filled him as he looked at them. 

_ Muggleborns attacked.  _ Regulus ripped it from the wall.

_ Muggle hunting legislation proposed. _ That was the oldest article. His great aunt had proposed that one.

_ Legislation proposed to stop witches and wizards from marrying muggles.  _ His mother had been so happy about that.

_ Blood Purists are holding rallies across the country. _ Bella had started inviting him to those. His parents had been proud.

_ New ‘Dark Lord’ gathering blood purists.  _ His mother said that he had ‘good politics’

_ Shop owned by a Muggleborn couple burned to the ground. Muggles killed at a National Sporting event.  _ Regulus gripped the papers, trying to tear them from the wall. But, he couldn’t see them anymore. 

_ Bella was laughing. The others were laughing too, but Bella was the loudest. Regulus couldn’t take his eyes off the body on the ground. Her black hair was spilled like ink and her dark eyes were staring at the sky, completely blank.   
_

_ He could smell burning flesh. His stomach was roiling and he gagged. But he had to keep a straight face. He looks at Rodolphus’ satisfied smile and he almost throws up on his shoes. _

_ He can't look away. The world seems to go into slow motion as the small body falls. A sickening crack fills his ears as that small head hits the ground. Red spills over dirty blond hair. Lucius kicks the body away from him and Regulus just watches how it flops, like a childhood doll thrown to the ground _

_ Screaming, the screaming is always the worst, worse than glassy stares, worse than the crimson color of blood, worse, worse, worse. Regulus wants to cover his ears, but the other Death Eaters are watching.  _

“Regulus! Regulus!” Someone was calling his name, but all he could see were glassy eyes and blood on stones. 

Someone was shaking him, violently. That finally jarred him enough to vanish the visions. He still heard echoes of screams and his stomach was roiling. He swore the smell of fire and burning flesh is still in his nose. 

“I’m sorry,” Regulus said, but he doesn’t know who he’s talking to. The little boy dead on Lucius’ boots? The people screaming in the fire? They weren’t around for him to say sorry to. “I’m so sorry,” the words of the newspapers in front of him are blurring. 

“Damn it, Regulus.” The voice was hard and masculine and it jerked him again. “Regulus do you know who I am?”

“Father,” he said at first, and oh Merlin he is in so much trouble because Orion is here and Regulus has tears in his eyes.

“Regulus, it's Sirius! It’s Sirius!” He was being shaken again. 

“Sirius,” his mouth formed the words before they made it to his brain.

“Yes, it’s Sirius. Do you know where you are?”

“Grimmauld Place,” he said without feeling. His eyes were still full of yellowing newspapers and typeset words.  _ Murder. Violence. Tragedy.  _

Rough hands spun him around. He found himself looking at a face. Long black hair, steely grey eyes, and a slightly haggard face. Definitely not Orion. Orion had cold black eyes. 

“Sirius,” he said again. He was trying to focus on the face in front of him and drag himself closer to the present, whenever that was. But, the memories don’t want to let him go. 

“Yes, it’s Sirius,” and the voice is softer now. The face is tight with worry. “You’re in Grimmauld Place. Damn it. It is 1996.”

Regulus blinked as the words slowly reached his brain. 1996? That didn’t make much sense. Sirius looked over his shoulder at someone. “Remus, I don’t know what to do.”

Regulus couldn’t hear the reply. He was trying to focus on the sight of his brother’s face.

“Regulus what do you hear?”

“Your voice,” Regulus said and then listened. He could still hear the screaming, but it’s getting further away now. “Birds,” he said slowly, “outside the window.”

“What do you see?”

“Your face,” he said first and then looked around. “My bedroom. Lupin?” He finally focused on the man in the doorway.

Regulus raised shaking hands and pressed them into his face, letting the sensation ground him. The world seems to settle back into place around him. It was 1996. The war was over. He died and came back. Iset was downstairs. Sirius was here. 

When Regulus lowered his hands, he looked at his brother. He was wearing pajama pants and a hastily thrown on a dressing gown. His tattooed chest was visible.

“New tattoos?” Regulus said.

Sirius let out one of his barking laughs. “You scared me there.”

“I’m sorry,” Regulus said again. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s alright,” Sirius said and his voice is softer than Regulus had heard it in years. “It happens to me too. Why don’t we go have breakfast.”

“Right,” Regulus said, “breakfast is good.” Sirius kept his hand on his brother’s shoulder and maneuvered him out of the room. Sirius followed him down the stairs towards the dining room. They came to the landing with the library and Regulus paused. He could see that the door was open.

“One minute,” Regulus said and walked towards the library. Sirius shrugged and stayed where he was. Pushing open the door all the way, Regulus looked at Iset who was asleep on the couch. Last night, he’d tucked a pillow under her head and given her a blanket. But she had looked so peaceful that he hadn’t wanted to wake her up. He’d put a bookmark in the book she had been holding and set it on the pile. She was still asleep. Regulus just watched her sleeping face for a second and he felt her soft expression settle him further. Not wanting to wake her up, but knowing she was usually an early riser, he crossed the room and opened the curtains before walking out again. 

Sirius was waiting at the stairs, he had closed his dressing gown and looked calmer than he had before. They walked down to the kitchen in silence. Kreacher was there pouring coffee in cups and setting pastries on plates. He must have heard them on the stairs.

“How did you know I was,” Regulus paused. That he was what? Having a fit?

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed. “I heard you crying out.”

“Oh,” Regulus said. He hadn’t screamed when the events had actually happened, but apparently, he did now.

“Look,” Sirius said, looking down into his coffee cup. “Don’t feel bad about it. The things that happened.” He paused. “They were shit, yeah? It messes with your head.”

Regulus just nodded and drank his coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary:
> 
> Regulus looks at the newspapers on his wall. The titles cause him to have flashbacks to his time as a Death Eater. He cries out and his brother comes to help him out of the episode. After that he checks on Iset, who fell asleep in the library, and goes down to the dining room for breakfast with his brother.


	13. Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Members of the Order of the Phoenix come to Grimmauld Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Walburga Black's usual blood purist hate and verbal assaults
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Lupin had joined them for breakfast after a while. When Regulus finished his food, he had Kreacher make a tray and he took it up to the library with him. Iset wasn’t in the library, but he could hear the shower in the bathroom running. Regulus set the breakfast tray on the table. Then he summoned Kreacher and asked him to please clean the library and the bathrooms on this floor. Kreacher responded with his usual mumblings and bowing. Regulus went to his room to change into actual clothes. He was suddenly glad that Iset hadn’t been in the library seeing as he was only wearing pajamas. Returning to the library, Regulus pulled the books about Ravenclaw towards him. 

If the Dark Lord did indeed have six Horcruxes, there were three more that needed to be found. At first, he had considered that it could be objects from the other three founders. But, after all of his reading yesterday, he found that the only object left by Gryffindor was a goblin forged sword. Not only would something like that be very difficult to make into a Horcrux, but the Dark Lord shared the disdain for Gryffindor that most Slytherins had. Regulus suspected that he wouldn’t want to affix a bit of his soul to a blood traitor’s sword. So he moved to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. He’d noted Hufflepuff’s Cup down as a likely candidate. Ravenclaw was trickier. And what the third object might be, he had no idea. 

Iset joined him after a little bit, wearing a blue dress that clung to her body; Regulus didn’t think that he’d ever seen her wearing blue before. It looked good. There was gold stitching on the dress that suited her skin much better than Slytherin silver ever had. After several moments, Regulus realized he was staring and looked down at his hands.

“You look very nice.” He said, still looking at his hand.

“Thank you,” Iset said, and he could hear her footsteps coming towards him. She sat on the desk facing him. 

“I’m realizing that I’ve never really seen you outside of school,” Regulus said, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“I could say the same thing,” Iset said with what could only be described as a mischievous smile. Regulus looked down confused, he was just wearing a black silk button-up with the sleeves rolled up; certainly nothing particularly nice. Iset reached out and ran her hand through his hair, which now went almost to his shoulders. “I’m glad that you grew your hair out.”

“Me too,” Regulus said. “I always thought that it looked better. But, during first year I thought I was going to lose my mind if one more person mistook me for my brother. So I cut my hair.” He paused, weighing his next words, before rushing onwards. “They would always get this shocked look, and then disappointment. I hated it so much. I was always being compared to him, and that was just the last straw.”

“It sucks being compared to your more attractive sibling, doesn’t it,” Iset said. She covered her nose with her hand briefly before reaching down to pick up the coffee Regulus had brought her. Regulus briefly remembered Tiye, Iset’s younger sister who was a year below Regulus. It was true that she was very beautiful, but it was the same cold sort of beauty that Narcissa and Bellatrix wielded, and it had always made Regulus edgy. Regulus reached up and rested his hand on Iset’s face, pulling her down for a kiss. Her lips tasted like fresh coffee and cream, but somehow still of cinnamon. When they pulled away they were both smiling. 

Iset sipped her coffee and looked over the table, which was open to the books about Ravenclaw. “More research today?”

“Yea,” Regulus said leaning back. “I’ve come up with two candidates for the Horcrux. That still leaves another. Then there are locations to think about. The diary was entrusted to the Malfoys, which is odd. Bellatrix has always been the Dark Lord’s most loyal servant. If anyone was given something that important, I would have thought it would be her.”

“Maybe she has one too?”

“Maybe,” Regulus said, writing it down on his piece of paper next to ‘Ravenclaw’s Diadem’ and ‘Hufflepuff’s Cup’. “I have no idea about the other locations. I guess the Gaunt house was important to him. But a cave in the cliffs? Why would he choose that? I don’t know.” 

Iset shrugged. “I can’t help you whatsoever.” Regulus resisted the urge to say something like ‘you help by being here’ which, while true, sounded entirely too cheesy.

“You have your own studies,” he said instead. She just smiled at him and picked up a pastry from the tray. 

“Back to studying we go then.”

They stayed in the library for most of the day. When they didn’t come down for lunch, Kreacher appeared with a tray that was covered in way too much food for two people. Regulus had found almost nothing new about Ravenclaw’s diadem. The best he could do was make notes about important places and people to Ravenclaw. 

Sometime in the afternoon, heavy uneven steps on the stairs alerted them to company. They could also hear Sirius’ voice. Still, they stayed in the library; there wasn’t anyone coming for them. Sirius could deal with it. However, they were interrupted by a heavy fist knocking on the frame of the library door. They looked up to see a grizzled man with two different colored eyes and a face that had more scars than face.

“Moody,” Sirius said and there was something in his face that was almost respect. Regulus set down his book. Then the man’s blue eye started looking around separately from his other eye. Regulus blinked. The eye rolled over completely, and Regulus felt his own eyes growing wide, despite his composure. ‘Mad-eye’ Moody, indeed. 

Sirius introduced them, “This is my brother, Regulus. And Iset Senusret.”

“Just Iset,” Iset corrected. Moody stumped into the room with a grunt that Regulus guessed was supposed to pass for a greeting. 

“You’re the ex-Death Eater kid then,” Moody said, magical eye fixing on Regulus. “I don’t remember seeing you during the war.”

“Well,” Regulus said, his throat feeling dry. “I didn’t exactly survive long enough to be in lots of fights.”

Moody narrowed his eyes at Regulus as if trying to decide if he was giving his sass. If Moody was used to Sirius, then Regulus guessed he couldn’t blame him for the suspicion. Moody’s eye turned to Iset.

“I don’t recognize you at all.”

“That’s because you’ve never met me. My family’s Egyptian. We weren’t part of your war.”

“Well,” Moody said, leaning on his walking stick. “I didn’t come up here to chat. The wards on this house are as solid as ever. I must say they were expertly done; couldn’t do better myself. But it looks like they are tied up to you. Had to come up here to get a good look. Seems the house has decided Regulus is the master.”

“Not surprised,” Sirius said, leaning against the wall. “Dear old dad would have done everything in his power to make sure the house never went to me.”

“Well,” Moody said gruffly, turning and already heading out of the door. “It’s Regulus’ house now. Dumbledore said that we can still have Order meetings here. So, I’ll let the others know. They all want to see you. Once I tell them the house is safe, I’m sure they’ll be knocking down your door. Fools. Probably won't be taking proper safety precautions either.”

Moody paused in the doorway and he didn’t turn around, but Regulus felt that blue eye on him. “Oh, and boy. I’ll have my eye on you. I put your cousin and her husband in Azkaban. I’ll do the same for you if you so much as breathe in the wrong direction.”

Regulus knew this was a threat and that he was meant to be intimidated. But he had grown up with Walburga Black and worked for The Dark Lord himself. No one in the Order of the Phoenix could hold a candle to that type of cruelty.

“Watch all you like, Mr. Moody,” Regulus said cooly. 

Moody snorted. “Kids got guts,” he said and walked down the hallway. Sirius gave Regulus a gesture that said ‘what can you do’ and followed Moody away. 

Regulus and Iset went back to their reading. They had about an hour of silence before there was a sudden rush of voices from downstairs. 

“Guests,” Iset said.

“Indeed.” Regulus debated going down and seeing what was going on. But honestly, he didn’t have much interest in interacting with Sirius’ friends or dealing with the so-called Order of the Phoenix. 

However, it soon proved impossible to stay focused on their studying because more people arrived, the voices got louder, sometimes the doorbell rang and his mother’s portrait started shouting. Regulus shut his book hard, not quite slamming it. 

“There’s no use,” he said a bit crossly. Iset closed her book more calmly. 

“Shall we go down then?”

“I suppose so,” Regulus said with a sigh. He looked down at himself. In a button-up shirt and trousers, he felt under dressed for receiving company. But these were Sirius’ sort of people, not members of the 28. As they walked down the stairs, Regulus resisted the urge to reach out and take Iset’s hand for support. He felt more anxious than he should be. Instead, he offered Iset his arm, in what was probably an over formal gesture. She took it with a smile. They were in the main hallway and about to descend to the dining room when someone rang the bell. The curtains of Mrs. Black’s portrait flew open and she started to shriek.

“Filth!” But she stopped at the sight of Regulus standing in the hall. Regulus felt pinned down by her gaze. She looked bad, her skin had gone waxy and her eyes were bloodshot. Walburga Black had once been a beautiful woman, but it seems that years of anger and hate had taken their toll on her looks. 

“Regulus?” she said.

“Mother,” He said stiffly. He unconsciously straightened his spine and lifted his chin. He did not remove his arm from Iset’s. 

“My boy!” She said in a voice that was happier than she had ever sounded in his life. “My true son. But you, you died!”

“Yes, mother.” 

“But you are back?”

“Yes, mother?”

“And who is this?” She said, her eyes suddenly latching onto Iset.

“This is Iset, mother.”

The doorbell rang again. Regulus sighed. “I should open the door.”

“Wait!” Walburga screamed as Regulus turned away, taking Iset with him. “These filth! These blood-traitors. Regulus! You can’t let them in my house!”

Regulus just kept walking, though his jaw was tight. Still, he found that the fear inside of him that always filled him at the sight of his mother was rather less gut-wrenching than it had been before. “Regulus Arcturus Black!” She screamed. “Don’t you turn your back on me. Who do you think you are?”

Iset leaned into Regulus, silently offering her support. Regulus swung the door open. There was a woman there with bubblegum pink hair.

“Wotcher!” she said brightly, then frowned. “Do I know you?”

“No,” Regulus said, stepping back to let her inside. There was no more time for conversation as Walburga’s screams racketed higher and higher.

“Filthy blood-traitors standing in the house of my forefathers! My own son letting them in!” Tonks strode down the tall towards the portrait. Nearly tripping over the troll leg umbrella stand on her way.

“Hello, Aunty Walburga,” she said in a cheerful tone. “You look as ugly as always.”

“How dare you!” Walburga shrieked and Regulus blinked. ‘Aunty Walburga’? “You are no blood of mine! You and your filthy blood-traitor mother!”

“Help me with these curtains?” The woman said, turning back to Regulus and Iset. Regulus strode forward.

“Regulus Arcturus Black! What do you think you are doing! How dare you disrespect me like this! I raised you better than this. Letting filth into my house. How dare you!”

“Sorry, mother,” Regulus said. “This is my house now.” Then he helped the woman draw the black curtains shut. Regulus took Iset’s arm again and they walked further down the hall away from the portrait. 

“So,” the woman said, when they were a safe distance away, and turned a curious gaze to Regulus. “Are you really Regulus Black or has she finally gone round the twist? You look like a Black.”

“Yes, I’m Regulus.” 

“I’m Tonks!” she said sticking out her hand. “Mother’s Andromeda.”

“Oh,” Regulus couldn’t help but blink his surprise, even as he shook her hand. This woman looked nothing at all like any of the Blacks he knew, and Andromeda had the same high cheekbones as the rest of them. Maybe she took after her father, Regulus had never seen the man that Andromeda had run off with.

“Nice to meet you,” he finally managed. “You should go on to the dining room. It sounds like everyone is in there.”

“What? Aren’t you coming?” 

Regulus sighed. “I suppose that I am.”


	14. The Order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awkward conversations between members of The Order of the Phoenix and Regulus/Iset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Even though the dining-room door was closed, the sound of laughter and talking bubbled out around it. Tonks rushed forward, but Regulus moved with more care. It was odd to hear so much laughter in this house. 

Tonks swung open the dining room door and the sound flowed out into the hallway. Regulus glanced over his shoulder, but his mother didn’t start screaming. Tonks vanished through the door, but Regulus couldn’t help but hang back. He’d never been a fan of social events and this one was no different. How many of the people in there would he even know?

“Come on,” Iset said. “It has to be less scary than one of your mother's dinner parties.”

“Anything is less scary than one of those dinner parties,” Regulus replied and took the step forward and through the door.

The table was covered in various dishes, and people milled around. Sirius was in the middle of giving Tonks a hug. He looked over her shoulder at Regulus.

“I’m surprised you came down,” he said after he released Tonks.

“Well, I can’t work with the racket, so I figured that I might as well.”

“Fair enough. Well, it seems that almost everyone is here.” He reached down and tapped a spoon against his metal goblet, releasing a bell-like sound that quieted the crowd.

“Hello everyone. I’m very glad to see all of you.” He pointed his hand at Regulus. “This is my brother, Regulus. Technically, this is his house now so, you’ll be seeing him around. This is Iset Senusret, she’ll also be around. That’s all!”

Regulus felt all of their eyes on him. He saw the shock in the faces of the older Order members and confusion on the younger ones. Several younger people shouted greetings and people waved before turning around.

“That was unnecessary,” Regulus said with a scowl. 

“Nonsense, it’s faster this way.” Regulus had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. 

Tonks reappeared and offered Iset her hand. “Miss Senusret, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. My mother tried to teach me manners, I swear.”

Iset laughed and shook her hand. “It’s no problem. It’s just Iset though.”

“I’m curious about that,” Sirius said. “You said the same thing to Moody. I remember you being very formal.”

“People change, Sirius.” Iset said, “at least they are supposed to.” 

Sirius rolled his eyes. “You don’t want people using your last name. Why?”

“Sirius,” Regulus said, teeth gritted, “Leave it.”

“You guys were always so proud of your family names,” Sirius said motioning to Regulus and Iset. “I want to know what changed.”

“One,” Iset said, voice cold. “It’s my grandfather’s name, not my family name. We don’t have a family name; it’s too modern. Two: my family is a very ancient line full of powerful wizards, which is deserving of respect. Three: the name is not mine to claim anymore.”

“Sure,” Sirius said lazily.

Iset’s face was growing pale with tightly controlled rage. “I’m sure you can imagine.  _ Mr. Black _ why someone wouldn’t want to hear their family name all the time.”

Sirius leaned away from her when she spat his name as if the name was a physical assault. Iset turned on her heel and walked towards the door. The first few steps were angry, as if she was going to storm out. But in an impressive example of self-control, she melted back into the decisive steps she normally used. 

“Sirius!” Remus had appeared over his shoulder.

“Damn it,” Regulus said, glaring at his brother. “Why do you have to put your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

The people closest to them had turned to watch at the sound of angry voices. Ignoring them, Regulus turned and moved to follow Iset, but she raised her hand to halt him.

“I’m fine. I’m just going to the washroom; I’ll be back. You have company. It’d be rude to ignore them.”

“As you wish,” Regulus said, still glaring at his brother. 

“Sirius,” Remus was saying sternly. “That was entirely uncalled for.” Sirius tried to protest, but Remus cut him off. “As she said, you should know more than anyone how sensitive names can be.” 

Regulus walked past Sirius and into the room, slamming his shoulder into his brother’s as he walked away. After a few steps, he managed to relax his gate, hiding his anger behind a well-practiced veneer of civility. Weaving around the room to avoid groups of people, Regulus made his way to the back corner where an intricately carved sideboard sat. Tapping his wand on the doors and murmuring a spell, he opened it and pulled out some of his father’s bourbon into a glass. He closed the door and leaned against the sideboard. He kept his eyes on the door, waiting for Iset to return. 

“Hello there!” A pair of voices said to his right. Turning to look, he found himself face to face with a pair of smiling, identical red-headed boys. His first thought was the Prewett Brothers. But, that couldn’t be correct, the Prewetts would be well into their 30s if not their 40s by now. Maybe they were the Prewett’s kids; though, with the red hair, they could be Weasleys. 

“So,” one of them said.

“We’re wondering who exactly you are,” said the other.

“It’s like Sirius said, I’m his brother.”

“Come on. We know there’s more to it than that.”

“You’re our age, but you didn’t go to Hogwarts.”

“Sirius never mentioned a brother.” 

“Plus, you only show up after Sirius miraculously survived a fight everyone thought was fatal.” They took turns talking, and Regulus found it a bit overwhelming. 

“Who are you?” He said instead of answering. 

“Fred Weasley,” said the one on the left. 

“George Weasley,” said the other one.

“At your service,” they said together. Regulus resisted the urge to groan. They had way too much enthusiasm. 

“Didn’t they,” Regulus gestured to the room at large, “explain what happened with Sirius.”

Fred snorted, and George laughed and said: “They don’t tell us anything.”

“Everything is ‘need to know’,” Fred said with air quotes.  


Regulus felt a bright burn of irritation. It had been the same way with the Death Eaters. Kids doing as they're told, not getting any information, and being shoved right into the line of fire. 

“Well,” Regulus said, crossing his arms. “Since I’m not in the order: Sirius died. I died seventeen years ago. When Sirius came through the veil using the archway in the Department of Mysteries, the veil didn’t completely close. Iset saw that and we all came back through.” 

Two identical expressions of disbelief met his words. For a long moment neither of them spoke, so Regulus continued. “You can go look at the family tapestry. My picture and name are on there along with the day I was born and the day I died.” 

The two boys looked from Regulus to each other. They appeared to have some sort of entire conversation because they nodded and turned back to Regulus with grins.

“Wicked!” they said together. 

“Hey,” one of them said, Regulus had forgotten which was Fred and which was George. “Can we have some of whatever you’re drinking?”

“Sure,” Regulus said, pulling out his wand and opening the sideboard again. They took the glasses with a muttered thanks. 

“Oh!” said the one who’d asked for the drink. “This is good stuff.”

“Of course,” Regulus said with a smile. “My father bought it. He never bought anything cheap in his entire life.”

There was a moment of silence as they drank their bourbon. 

“I have another question,” one of the red-headed twins said.

“I have a feeling you are going to ask whether I want you to or not,” Regulus said with a sigh, returning his gaze to the door.

“Sirius said that his entire family was dark wizards.” 

“He’s not wrong,” Regulus admitted. He spun the bourbon glass in his hand, watching the way the lights danced in the crystal. “You want to know if I am a dark wizard.”

There was no response, just two faces full of expectation. For a long moment, Regulus didn’t respond either. He just kept spinning the glass in his hands, trying to think of an answer. “I was a Death Eater, but I defected, and I died doing it. Whether I’m a dark wizard or not,” Regulus just shrugged. 

“You were a Death Eater?” One of them exclaimed, and Regulus repressed a wince looking around. He supposed it would get around that he had once been a Death Eater, it certainly wasn’t a secret. It still didn’t mean that he wanted people shouting about him being a Death Eater in a room full of people whose entire goal was to defeat the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. 

“Yes,” Regulus said at a conversational volume.

“What was it like?” the other demanded. Regulus fingers stopped spinning the glass and gripped it tightly.

“It's not something that I want to talk about.” He could tell that they were about to ask him more questions anyway when there was a commotion by the door. All three turned to the door. 

Iset was standing there, but so was someone else: a man with long greasy black hair and a large nose. Regulus set his glass on the sideboard and started to make his way back through the crowd.

“This is going to be interesting,” said one of the twins behind him.

“Senusret,” Snape was saying. Iset didn’t correct him. “I never thought I’d see you again after you ran off to America.”

“I never intended to return, Snape.”

Snape turned and swept his vulture-like gaze around the room, which had grown quiet. Sirius was closer to Snape than Regulus was and Snape’s eyes fell on him first.

“So,” Snape said with a sneer. “It seems that the bad news is true; you’re back.”

“Snivillus,” Sirius said with an equal sneer. “Seems you didn’t have the decency to die while I was gone.”

“I guess that means the little lordling is back too?”

“Do you mean Reg?” Sirius said with a smile, “I always thought you two were friends?”

“Friends?” Snape said with a cold laugh. “Regulus Black be friends with a half-blood like me? Don't make me laugh.”

“Hello Severus, it’s been a while,” Regulus said perfectly politely, finally reaching the front of the room. He met the man’s dark gaze unflinchingly. 

“Life is never done giving you two handouts is it?” Snape asked, face tight with anger.

“Boys,” Iset said lightly. “You’re making a scene.” Regulus sensed that she wanted to say ‘you’re acting like children’. 

“Never thought I’d see someone as smart as you mixed up with these two, Senusret,” Snape said. He gave her a dirty look. “I guess money always talks.”

Iset set her jaw, but before she could say anything, Regulus broke in. “Don’t speak to her like that.”

“Oh?” Snape said, eyes darting between Iset and Regulus. “Is that how it is then?” He smiled and turned his back on them heading towards the door. Sirius opened his mouth, but Remus put a hand on his shoulder, silencing him.

Snape stopped at the door. “Don’t try and play the hero, Regulus.” He turned to look at Regulus. “Everyone knows you just didn’t have the stomach to do what the Dark Lord wished. You ran away like a dog with a tail between its legs.

“I’m not a hero,” Regulus said calmly. “But neither are you. I’d bet a thousand galleons you only changed sides once you realized that the Dark Lord wasn’t going to make a special exception for that little red-haired mu-” he stopped himself sharply. “Muggleborn you were always following around. From what I hear she married someone else. Can't say as I blame her.”

“You-” Snape’s face was white with rage.

“Don’t bother Regulus,” Sirius said, “Severus here has never had a thousand galleons in his life.

Snape sent both of them vicious glares before stalking out of the room. There was a long silence until Iset said, “Always great to see old schoolmates, right?”

Several people laughed and the tension was broken. Iset moved to Regulus’ side. Running her hand down his arm, she gave him a look that said ‘don’t worry about him’. He didn’t care about Snape’s opinion of him, it had never been very important. His eyes moved around the room. He was more worried about the fact that he had almost called Lily Evans a mudblood in front of most of The Order of the Phoenix. However, no one seemed ready to accost him, so he relaxed a bit.

“Let’s go,” Regulus said quietly. “We’ll have some wine upstairs.”

“Let’s go,” Iset said with a smile.


	15. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... more mentions of Walburga's emotional abuse/neglect
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Over the next week, the Order of the Phoenix moved back into Grimmauld place as if they had never left. There were members in the house at all hours of the day and night. Some, including the Weasley’s, had even moved into the guest rooms. The sound of talking and laughing bounced around the house, and it was so entirely alien to Regulus that he didn’t entirely know how to deal with it. The laughter seemed to push back the ever-present shadows of Grimmauld Place. There were still disapproving portraits and furniture that sometimes bit you, but it somehow seemed like a different house. 

Still, Regulus kept his distance from the newcomers. It wasn’t hard, as his rooms were on the top level and the library was only one below. He had Kreacher bring meals to Iset and him. He’d had to have several talks with Kreacher who was deeply unhappy with the people in the house. Regulus had told him firmly that he accepted the people in the house and that Kreacher needed to calm down. It took several attempts, but the elf seemed calmer now. 

Regulus had sent Dumbledore a letter with his ideas. The next day Professor McGonagall had appeared in the library with a stack of books for him. She’d simply said ‘It’s good to see you both,’ and left the books on the desk in front of Regulus and Iset. Inside the cover of the first book was a letter from Dumbledore.

_ Mr. Black, _

_ Your research confirms my suspicions. I have yet to find solid information on Ravenclaw’s diadem. I had Madam Pince gather books regarding Ravenclaw’s life and her family. I believe these may prove useful. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore _

So, Regulus had spent most of his time digging through ancient, dusty books. He’d found his old sketchbook inside the desk in his room, and sometimes when he was frustrated from wading through piles of useless information, he would draw. Usually, he drew Iset. She lounged on the couch, surrounded by a pile of books. The light from the window fell on her, illuminating different angles of her as it moved through the sky. 

Regulus was in the middle of one such drawing when someone knocked on the library door. He jumped and his hand skidded, leaving a harsh line behind. Slightly embarrassed, he jerked open a book, covering the drawing. 

A plump redhead woman was standing there, with a kind smile on her face. Regulus guessed that she was Mrs. Weasley.

“I thought I’d come and invite you down to dinner.” She said with a big smile. “I don’t want you to have to hide in your own house.” Her smile grew softer. “You don’t have to come down. But I imagine that things are a bit lonely for you two now. You are always welcome with us. Two of my sons are your age, you know.”

Regulus was lost for words. The motherly expression on her face was so genuine and caring that it made him hurt inside. He’d never experienced anything like this. Helplessly, he glanced at Iset, who seemed to be in a state of confusion. 

“Better come down,” there was another voice and one of the red-headed twins stuck his head in the door.

“She won't leave you alone until she gets what she wants,” said the other, also sticking his head in the door. 

“Oh, shut up you two,” she said, and her voice was stern, but there was a smile on her face. Iset and Regulus exchanged another glance.

“It would be rude to refuse an invitation,” Iset said, setting her book down.

“Right,” Regulus said, standing up.

“Wonderful,” Mrs. Weasley said and started to walk down the hall. She turned around and pointed at the four of them, the Weasley twins, Iset, and Regulus. “You just wash your hands before you come down to the table.” She said with the same combination of sternness and affection. 

Regulus was glad that Iset looked just as bewildered as he felt. The twins clapped them on the back and took off for the stairs. Regulus followed automatically, and Iset trailed behind him. They stopped at the bathroom to wash their hands

“Did I just get invited to lunch in my own house?” Regulus said to Iset as she scrubbed her hand in the porcelain bowl. He watched the water pouring from the silver serpent’s mouth

“Yes,” Iset said. “She seems so… so...” Iset was clearly struggling for what to say.

“Caring?”

“Motherly,” Iset said with a grimace. “But not like, my mother, but like…”

“Like what mothers are supposed to be?” Regulus said. Iset’s brown eyes were pained as she towel-dried her hands, and Regulus couldn’t resist the urge to hold her. He held her tight and she squeezed him briefly before letting go. 

“Can you imagine?” Iset asked as they walked down the stairs.

“No,” Regulus said, his head turning towards the portrait of his mother that hung in the hall. They walked in silence for the rest of the way. When Regulus pushed open the door and they stepped inside, Regulus felt as if the dining room had transformed. Of course, the room itself was the same, though there was no silk tablecloth or emerald-colored table runner on the table. Pots and dishes of steaming food were set on trivets up and down the table. There were no less than five Weasleys in the room. Sirius and Remus were also there along with Tonks and a beautiful blonde woman. 

“So you’ve deigned to join us?” Sirius said, looking up from his conversation

“None of that,” Mrs. Weasley said as she bustled into the room with a large loaf of fresh bread floating in front of her. “Ginny, Ron, I asked you to set the table. Food’s going to get cold if you don’t hurry up. Oh, Regulus, Iset thank you for joining. Just take a seat, dinner will be done soon.”

Sirius opened his mouth, probably to protest, but shut it again without saying anything. Doing as he was bidden, Regulus took his seat. Iset sat beside him, and her leg pressed against his in her usual display of silent support. Together they watched the people around them laughing and talking. Almost everyone had sat down, when a girl with dark skin and bushy brown hair rushed into the room.

“Finally,” she said waving a piece of paper. “Moody finally told me that Harry is going to be here later tonight.”

“Really?” Sirius practically jumped to his feet. His face broke out in a bright smile, a genuine one. Regulus looked down at his hands. It had been a long time since he’d seen his brother this happy. Certainly not when he found out that Regulus was still alive. Regulus wasn’t sure that Sirius had ever looked that happy to see him. He didn’t realize that his hands had clenched into fists until he felt Iset’s hand on his own. She gently stroked the back of his hand until he relaxed his grip. 

A hand landed on his shoulder and Regulus looked up surprised. Mrs. Weasley was there, giving him a kind look. It made Regulus’ stomach squirm. “Everything okay, dear?”

“Yes,” he said, straightening up. “But thank you for asking. This food smells delicious.”

“You’re too kind.” She said with a smile. Regulus turned back to the table and didn’t see the sad, soft look that she gave him. The girl took the empty seat at the table; it seemed that everyone had arrived. There was silence as everyone loaded up their plates and dug in. The silence helped Regulus relax; small talk had always been his least favorite part of dinner parties. However, this didn’t feel like any other luncheon Regulus had ever been to. Just the fact that he wasn’t wearing robes, let alone dress robes, was enough to make it unusual. 

When people had finished their first helpings, conversations began to spring up around the table. The conversations were the sort of happy chatter that Regulus associated with the common room and Hogwarts lunch tables, not with this dining table. The twins were sitting, elbows on the table, heads together, and part of Regulus was waiting for someone to hit them with stinging hexes. The blonde girl was sitting next to the oldest Weasley boy and offering him food on her own fork, in such a blatant display of affection that it made Regulus a bit uncomfortable, however, Tonks who was talking with them didn’t seem to mind. 

Regulus felt like he had been tossed into an alternate universe like he had come out of the veil into the wrong version of his world. He and Iset ate in silence; the food was amazing. He wondered who had purchased the food; he made a note to have Kreacher stock the kitchen. He wasn’t oblivious to the worn quality of the clothes most of the Weasley’s were wearing. 

“What is your name again?” The girl with the brown hair was looking at Iset, there was a furrow between her brow as if she was trying to remember something. 

“Iset.”

“What’s your last name?”

“Why?” Iset was frowning at her.

“I recognize you, but I can’t remember from where.” 

“Did she not go to Hogwarts?” The blonde girl across the table jumped into the conversation with a heavy french accent, and Regulus realized that everyone was looking at them now. “Bill, she should have been with you, no?”

The man sitting next to her, who must be Bill, shook his head. “No, she definitely wasn’t in my year.”

Sirius barked out a laugh, then turned his attention to Regulus, grey eyes dancing with amusement. Regulus could hear the unspoken ‘how are you going to get around this one?’

“Well,” Iset said, folding her hands neatly in front of her. “The only reason that you would recognize me, would be if you had seen my book. As for the rest of it, I don't think any of you will believe me. But, Regulus and I went to Hogwarts in the 70s with Remus and Sirius here.”

“That’s it,” the brown-haired girl said, snapping her fingers. “Comparisons of Theories Underlying Wandless Magic.”

Iset looked impressed. The rest of the room, however, was digesting the second part of what Iset had said. Sirius leaned back in his chair, he obviously hadn’t been expecting Iset to blurt out the truth.

“That is not possible!” The blonde girl said, tossing her white-blonde hair irritably. 

“It is!” One of the red-headed twins said. “We checked. Regulus here is on the family tapestry in the other room. Both of them are in the prefect records and Regulus was on the quidditch team.”

“Did you two actually do research?” The brown-haired girl asked, sounding shocked.

“Why the tone of surprise?” One of them said.

“We do plenty of research, it’s part of our business,” said the other.

“We had to know if he was playing an epic prank on us or not.” The first finished. 

“But how?” the blonde girl asked. 

With a sigh, Regulus gave them the same abridged version he had given the twins. They had died, gone to some sort of purgatory, Sirius had arrived through the veil, the veil had failed to close properly, and the three had escaped. The table was sitting in silence, obviously digesting the news, when there was a sudden sound from the hallway. For a moment, there was the sound of many footsteps and the door opening, and then the sound was eclipsed by the sound of Walburga Black’s screaming. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. you cannot convince me that Mrs. Weasley didn't see orphan Regulus and instantly try and adopt him


	16. The Boy Who Lived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry Potter arrives at Grimmauld Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

“Harry!” The girl with the brown hair and the two youngest Weasleys all jumped to their feet and hightailed it out of the room. Sirius, a huge grin on his face, followed them out of the room. Regulus sighed and pushed back his chair. 

“I think I’ll go back upstairs,” he said. 

“Alright,” Iset said, moving to get up with him. 

“Wait a bit, you two,” they turned to see Mrs. Weasley. “I haven’t even served the cake yet!”

Regulus looked from her to the hallway, where he could hear celebratory noises. He didn’t want to be rude to someone who was being so nice to him, but he also didn’t want to be an interloper on what felt like a family reunion.

“Bill and Fleur don’t really know Harry either,” She said, obviously guessing the cause of his distress. “Ron and Hermione are really his only close friends. If you really don't want to stay, I’ll get you a piece of cake.”

Not knowing what to say, Regulus glanced at Iset. But she gave him a look that said that it was up to him. 

“I guess I can stay for a bit,” Regulus said quietly. 

“That’s the spirit!” She reached down and gave Regulus a half hug before walking away. Regulus blinked in surprise. 

“I need a drink,” Regulus said to Iset when Mrs. Weasley had gone to the door. “Kreacher!”

There was a loud crack and Kreacher appeared at his side.

“Master has called for Kreacher?”

“Yes, thank you, Kreacher. Can you get a few bottles of wine from the cellar? One of the Rieslings, I think.”

“As you wish, master,” Kreacher bowed low and disappeared with a crack. 

“Harry, dear, I’m so glad to see you safe,” Regulus could hear Mrs. Weasley’s voice outside of the door.  


Regulus moved across the room to the china cabinet. Getting out wine glasses gave him something to focus on. When he turned back to the table to set the first round of riesling glasses on the table, he found that Tonks, the french girl, and the oldest Weasley boy had moved close to him.

“We’re hoping that you plan on sharing,” Tonks said with a laugh.

“Of course,” Regulus gave her a practiced smile. 

“I’m Bill by the way,” the man introduced himself. “This here is my fiance, Fleur.”

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Regulus said automatically. Tonks laughed.

“You sound like my mother when we have company,” she told him. 

“How is Andromeda?” Regulus asked, counting wine glasses. “I haven’t, well, it’s been a while.” He didn’t feel like saying that he hadn’t heard from her since she was disowned when Regulus was ten or eleven.

“Oh she’s fine,” Tonks said.

Iset tapped him on the shoulder, and Regulus turned to look at her. Following her glance, he saw that Kreacher had returned bearing a tray stuffed with bottles of wine. It seemed he had decided to grab two or three of four or five different types of wines. 

“Thank you, Kreacher,” Regulus said, reaching for one of the Austrian rieslings. Something not too expensive, no one here was going to snark about the year of the wine. 

“Oh,” the French girl said, sounding disappointed, “these are all german wines.”

“This is Austrian,” Regulus corrected, “but if you would prefer something else?”

“French wine is, in my opinion, the best.”

“France certainly has nice wines,” Regulus said, “but it’s far from the only place for fine wine. Italy and Spain, for instance. I don’t think any collection is complete without a quality Spanish red, perhaps Rioja Gran Reserva. As for Italian, my mother was always a fan of Barbera wines. Muscato is also an excellent choice for desserts. Though, I hazard a guess you would find it too sweet.”  


Fleur laughed, “I thought the British knew nothing of wine. My mother would love to debate these things with you. Still, I enjoy french wines, perhaps it makes me feel at home.”

“Would you like chardonnay? Sauvignon Blanc? There are reds of course, but with dessert in summer…” he trailed off. Bill and Tonks were looking at him perplexed, but Fleur was still smiling. 

“That is very generous. Perhaps, if it is not too much trouble,” she paused and turned to look at her fiance. “What would you like?” 

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Um I don’t,” he started. But she was looking at him expectantly. “The chardonnay, perhaps.” Fleur beamed at him. 

“I’ll have a bottle brought up,” Regulus told them. He turned to fish a pair of the correct glasses out of the china cabinet. 

Tonks leaned over to Bill. “I will never understand all those glasses. It’s all the same to me,” she said quietly, but not quietly enough. Regulus suppressed a chuckle. Honestly, he mostly agreed, but things like wine glasses and silverware had been beaten into him at a young age. 

Kreacher handed him the now opened bottle of wine, and he started to pour glasses. Tonks and Bill passed them to the other people in the room. By the time Regulus had finished pouring all the glasses, Kreacher had vanished, leaving several unopened bottles behind. There was even a bottle of Chardonnay; how Kreacher had managed that, Regulus had no idea. With nothing left to do, Regulus turned back to the table to face the newcomer.

“Why don’t we have a toast!” Sirius said with a bright smile. The smile was less dazzling than it had been when they were younger, but it lit up his face, chasing away shadows, and hinting at how handsome he had been before his time in Azkaban. Everyone turned to look at him. The messy-haired boy that Regulus knew had to be Harry turned away from his friends; Ron and Hermione, Regulus reminded himself. He looked across the table and his eyes met Regulus’.

Harry’s face rapidly turned to confusion as he glanced from Regulus to Sirius. As for Regulus, he had a strange sense of Deja Vu as he looked at Harry Potter. It really was almost like looking at James Potter. Sirius kept talking, unaware.

“To being all together again!” He lifted his wine and everyone copied him. When the toast was over, Regulus saw that Harry was still looking at him. Leaning over, Harry tapped on Sirius’ shoulder and pointed at Regulus. Sirius’ smile fell a bit, and Regulus gritted his teeth. He turned resolutely away. 

“How is the wine?” He asked Fleur. Feeling Iset’s hand brush his, Regulus looked down. She gave him a questioning look, but he responded with the smallest shake of his head. Now was not the time for that discussion. Fleur was opening her mouth to answer his question when he heard Sirius speak.

“Oi, Reg, why don’t you come over here?” Sirius said.

“My apologies,” Regulus said. “I’m being called.” Tonks gave him a little wave as he turned. Regulus reached out for Iset’s hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Iset said over her shoulder as she followed Regulus away.

“Harry,” Sirius said. “This is my little brother Regulus.

“You said all your family were dead.” There was an almost injured look in his green eyes

“He  _ was _ dead,” Sirius said.

“I’m right here,” Regulus said, barely containing his irritation. “I’m afraid that I’ve already explained things once tonight. Sirius here can explain it.” 

“Harry,” Harry said, sticking out his hand, “Harry Potter.”

Regulus shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Potter,” Regulus said, falling back on formality as he always did when he was uncomfortable. He turned to the other two. “I haven’t gotten your names.”

“Ron Weasley.”

“Hermione Granger.”

“Nice to meet you as well,” Regulus said, shaking their hands. He stepped to the side.

“Iset,” she said, holding out her own hand. 

“Did you really write Comparisons of Theories Underlying Wandless Magic,” Hermione asked as she shook Iset’s hand. “You look so young!”

“I am young,” Iset said. Did she sound offended? “You’re very young to be reading books like that.”

“Hermione is the brightest witch our age,” Ron said proudly. 

“Is that so?” Iset said. “Very good.”

“Our ancient runes professor talked about you,” Hermione said. “Said you were one of the best students she ever had, that she was looking forward to more of your books when you vanished.”

“Vanished?” Iset asked.

“That’s what she said. No one knew where you went.” Iset just raised an eyebrow at that. 

The silence had just started to stretch when Mrs. Weasley’s voice broke in. “It’s time for dessert!” 


	17. Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discussing the Malfoys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Sexism, honor killings, and familial violence
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

“Sirius, Malfoy is a Death Eater.” Harry was leaning over the dining room table, ignoring the remnants of lunch on the table, face intense. “I don’t know what it is, but Voldemort wants him to do something! We saw him in Diagon Alley. He went into Borgin and Burkes and threatened Borgin with Fenrir Greyback.”

“Listen to yourself, Harry!” The slightly shrill quality of Hermione’s voice suggested that this wasn’t the first time they’d had this particular discussion. “He’s only sixteen. We’re just school kids, Voldemort has fully grown wizards to do his bidding. He doesn’t need kids.”

Hermione looked from Harry to Sirius, hoping to get Sirius on her side. Sirius stroked his chin as he thought. But the answer didn’t come from him.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s only a kid,” everyone at the table turned. Regulus was sitting with Iset several seats down from Harry and the rest, quite forgotten. 

“Oh come on.” Hermione sounded frustrated. Regulus gave her a dark look. 

“I assume all of you know that I was a Death Eater.” He said and Harry, Ron, and Hermione all nodded. “I was sixteen when I became a Death Eater. The Dark Lord doesn’t care whether you are a child. If there is something he thinks you can do for him, he’ll use you.”

“But what could Malfoy do for him that the others can’t?” Hermione demanded.

Regulus laughed. “I won't assume to know the mind of the Dark Lord, but I can make a few guesses.” 

He had everyone’s attention now. “Well,” he said. Though he was uncomfortable being the center of attention, he didn’t show it. He sat with his usual casual grace and looked at them with a vaguely haughty expression. “Who are the two people that the Dark Lord worries about most?”

“Will you stop calling him that,” Sirius burst out. “Only Death Eaters call him that.” 

Regulus ignored him and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Well?”

“Dumbledore and Harry,” Hermione finally said.

“Correct, Granger,” Regulus said, sounding for all the world like one of their professors. “And where are both Potter and Professor Dumbledore most of the year?”

“Hogwarts, of course,” Harry joined in, looking curiously at Regulus

“You think that Voldemort is using Draco because he wants eyes on Harry and Dumbledore,” Hermione said.

“It’s one theory,” Regulus admitted. He steepled his hands on the table in front of him. “However, as I said. I don’t presume to know the mind of the Dark Lord.”

“Well, what are we going to do about it?” Harry burst out. 

“Do?” Hermione asked. “We don’t have to do anything.”

“We can’t just let a Death Eater wander around Hogwarts.” Harry protested. 

“Let’s tell Dumbledore or McGonagall, let them figure it out,” Hermione said. 

“Hermione!”

“No! Harry. There’s already enough trouble. You don’t have to do everything yourself.”

“Regulus, what are you thinking?” Sirius’ voice cut across the teenage bickering. Sirius’ eyes were on his brother. 

“Narcissa would know what Draco has been ordered to do,” Regulus said slowly.

“Well, yes,” Sirius conceded. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

“I could get the information from her.” All eyes turned to Regulus. “I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it earlier.”

“What are you going to do?” Ron asked with wide eyes. The expressions on the three teenagers' faces made it clear they thought Regulus was going to use dark magic or violence. 

Regulus smiled. “I’m going to talk to her.”

“What!” Hermione gasped. 

“She’s a Death Eater!” Harry said. 

“Narcissa is not, and has never been, a Death Eater,” Regulus said dryly. Narcissa had never been interested in politics. She just wanted a family. Regulus still remembered awkwardly hugging her when Andromeda had been disowned. 

“Well, she’s married to one! And if Harry is right, then her son is one too.” Ron said. 

“Of course she’s married to one,” Regulus said, again resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “She didn’t have much of a choice.

“No choice in the matter!” Ron sputtered. 

“She married a Death Eater!” Hermione said. “That’s a choice!”

“Shut up! Shut up all of you!” A voice rose over the clamor and everyone turned to look at Iset who was standing up now. Her normal calm exterior was shattered; her eyes were bright and her jaw was clenched. “I won’t listen to you all talk about Narcissa like that. None of you have a clue. You have no bloody idea what it's like, and you just sit there and act like you’re so much better than her because you come from a normal fucking family. She didn’t have a choice! Her choices were Malfoy, Sirius here, Rabastan Lestrange, Crabbe, Goyle, or Flint. All of whom, except Sirius, who is her first cousin, are Death Eaters now. And no, she can’t just ‘say no’. If she disagreed with the idea she would have been beaten!”

“Or cursed,” Regulus added helpfully. He had put his hand over hers where it rested on the table and there was concern in his eyes. 

“Or locked up with no food or water until she agreed. And if she had  _ refused _ . If she was lucky she would have been disowned. No one that she loved or cared about would ever talk to her again. Her sisters, her parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, none of them. If she wasn’t lucky, she would be dead. Do you know how I died, why I ‘vanished’? I refused to marry the man my parents chose. They sent someone to the United States to find me and kill me. So, you don’t get to just sit there and act like you are all high and mighty for not being on the Dark Lord’s side.”

Iset pushed her chair back violently as she stormed out of the room. Silence reigned behind her. Hermione had her hand over her mouth and Ron’s mouth was slightly open. In a controlled motion, Regulus got to his feet, pushed his chair in, and walked out of the room.


	18. Narcissa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discussing and sending a letter to Narcissa Malfoy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Iset had vanished into the library. Regulus paused with his hand on the door, he wasn’t sure if Iset wanted to be alone or if he should check on her. Taking a deep breath, he knocked gently on the door. 

“Hey,” Regulus said. “It’s me.” 

The door opened , and Iset was standing there. Her eyes were bright and there was color high in her cheeks, but her face was calm. “You don’t have to knock to get into your own library.” She smiled, but it was a little wobbly. 

“I was trying to be considerate,” Regulus leaned against the door. Iset smiled again, and it was a little more real this time.

“You’re always considerate.”

“Don’t tell anyone here, it’ll ruin my status as a heartless Slytherin.” 

Iset snorted and stepped back into the room. “Thank you, Reg.” Taking several long strides forward, Regulus caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Her face was pressed to his chest.

“I’m here, alright?” 

She nodded against his chest and he released her. “I’m sorry for losing my temper,” she said, looking down and smoothing her hands over her skirt, in a motion that wasn’t quite a fidget. 

“Don’t be. You had a good point.” Regulus sat down at the desk and Iset hopped up to sit on it. He enjoyed how casual she looked; he loved when she let him see her softer side. “Were you friends with Narcissa?”

“No,” Iset said. “But she was nice. The girls were always talking about her and Malfoy. I mean a Black and a Malfoy, and they actually seemed to like each other.” 

“She is nice,” Regulus said. “She would look after Sirius and me, and help me keep out of Bella’s way. Bella’s always been a bit crazy. It really hurt her when Andy was disowned. I guess she begged her mother not to do it. They came here when mom blasted Andy off of the tapestry. I didn’t exactly understand the whole thing, but I remember hugging Cissy because she was crying. I think that made it so that she never fully bought into blood politics. We used to write magically encrypted letters while I was in school. She let me visit her manor during the summer so I could get out of Grimmauld Place.”

“She sounds really nice. My cousins in Cairo always thought they were better than us because we were raised in Britain.”

“I feel bad for her son,” Regulus rested his head on his hands. He couldn’t see the soft look that Iset was giving him. “It, well, it’s shit to be forced into the Death Eaters. I want to help him.”

Regulus startled as Iset rested her hand on his head. He turned his eyes up to her, she gave him a small smile, and gently stroked his hair. “We’ll find a way to help him. Why don’t we bring him here? Both of them here?”

“They’d use his father or his friends against him.” He said with a shake of his head. “You don’t leave the Death Eaters,” Regulus whispered. “The only way out is if you die.”

“Or if he does.”

“What?”

“If the Dark Lord dies. Then the Death Eaters are free, right?”

“So, you’re saying all we have to do is kill the most powerful wizard in England?”

“Yep,” Iset’s voice was determinately cheerful. “We need to take out the Horcruxes right?”

“The only one we have a good idea about is Hufflepuff’s cup.”

“Wait!” Iset said, snapping her fingers. 

Regulus sat up. “What is it?”

“If Bella has the cup, don’t you think Narcissa would know? I mean, they are sisters, and Lucius was trusted with the diary.”

“You’re right. Still, she won’t tell me if she thinks it’ll put her family in danger. She may even be sworn to silence since she isn’t a Death Eater.”

Iset drummed her fingers against her legs, thinking. Regulus bit his lip. Narcissa would be a great source of information, but he wouldn’t put her or her family in danger to get the information. They sat in silence for long minutes.

“Regulus,” Iset spoke into the silence. “You won’t like this idea.”

Raising an eyebrow, he motioned for her to continue. 

“You can do Legilimency right?” Regulus nodded, a frown growing between his eyebrows. He knew what it felt like to have someone dig into your mind against your will, it wasn’t fun. It was worse when it was someone you should be able to trust. “Don’t look at me like that. You explain that the only way to get her son free is to defeat the Dark Lord. Tell her that to do that, you need to know about something valuable Bella may or may not have. Ask to meet her. Explain that if she can’t tell you that there are other ways.” 

“You think I should ask Cissy if I can use Legilimency to look for secrets about her sister?”

“The only way to help her son is to kill the Dark Lord right?”

Regulus frowned, but nodded. “I’ll think about it. I’ll write her a letter at least. But we need another plan. If Cissy can’t or won’t help us.”

“I’ve been researching something,” Iset said. “I don’t know if it’ll work though.”

“What is it?”

“Scrying,” she said. “It’s a method of searching for objects. It’s not the most reliable thing. I’m trying to find a way to make it more reliable. And you need a connection to what you're looking for. We don’t even know exactly what these objects look like. That makes it very difficult to find with this type of magic.

“It’s better than nothing,” Regulus said. 

He pulled out a parchment and a quill and ink. But what on earth was he supposed to write?

* * *

**Malfoy Manor**

The grounds of Malfoy Manor were sprawling and green. In the carefully tended garden, flowers turned their petals up to the golden summer sun. A white marble gazebo sat to the side of the rose garden, and the smell of roses drifted on the air. Narcissa Malfoy liked to sit in the gazebo. Her sister and husband were always ‘busy’, in the study or library or out of the house, she didn’t know and she didn’t particularly care. The Dark Lord was staying in her house now, and Death Eaters were always coming and going. Out here, watching the sun sparkle in the fountain, she could almost pretend that her world wasn’t falling apart. 

Her hand tightened on the stem of her wine glass. She remembered when her son would be out here with her. She would chase him down the stone paths between the flowers, listening to his laughter. Draco was inside now, with his father or with his aunt, or maybe with the Dark Lord himself. They’d sunk their claws into him, and she didn’t know how to get them out. Sometimes he still came to sit with her; he had always liked the gardens as well.

The crack of a house-elf appearing broke into her reverie and she almost dropped her wine glass. Some of it splashed onto her dress, but the white wine vanished into the black of the fabric.  


Turning, she expected to see one of her house-elves. Maybe Bella had decided that she needs Narcissa’s attention. But it was Kreacher standing there. He was wearing a new, clean towel. Which was much better than the last time she saw him. Still, she was confused.

“A letter for you Miss Cissy,” he said, bowing low. He continued muttering, “Master Regulus sending Kreacher to Miss Cissy. What is Master Regulus up to, Kreacher wonders.”

Narcissa snatched the letter out of his hand. What on earth was the elf talking about? Regulus? The poor thing had finally lost his mind. Kreacher bowed and vanished, while Narcissa inspected the letter.

Her stomach lurched when she saw the front of the letter. It said “Narcissa Black” in familiar handwriting. Narcissa’s hand was shaking. Kreacher must have found a letter that Regulus left behind years ago, but the letter didn't look old. Flipping it over, Narcissa looked at the seal. The Black Family Crest was intimately familiar. She found herself holding her breath as she broke the seal.

_ Cissy, _ the letter started. Narcissa covered her mouth with one hand. She reached for her wand with the other. There was one way for her to know if this letter was really from Regulus. She waved her wand in a careful motion over the letter and whispered the password that she hadn’t used in seventeen years. The letter went blank and started to rewrite itself. Tears began to fill her eyes as she watched elegant writing spread across the page. Her hand started shaking as she read and read. There were teardrops on the letter when she finished reading. Her hand was shaking so violently that she almost failed to set it on fire. The parchment fell to the marble floor and burned until only ash remained and the wind blew it away. Narcissa sat staring at the place where the letter had been for a very long time.


	19. Cousins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting with Narcissa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus was surprised when Narcissa replied to him. He hadn’t been sure that she would believe he was really alive after all this time. He was sitting in the library when Kreacher brought her response. The library had become his refuge- his and Iset’s. Now that the room had been cleaned, it was a nice place to stay. There was silence and the bookshelves muffled the sounds coming from the rest of the house to some extent. 

At first, when Kreacher set the letter on the oak desk in front of him, Regulus could only stare at the letter. His name was written in a familiar neat, cursive hand. The handwriting was a bit different than he remembered, but it had been seventeen years. Part of him was scared to open the letter. He could feel Iset’s eyes on him as he reached into the desk and pulled out a heavy silver letter opener.  


His eyes raced over the short letter, and he glanced at his watch. He really hadn’t expected Narcissa to want to meet with him; let alone do so so urgently. Still, he had asked for this. He carefully folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. 

“She wants to meet me,” he told Iset as he stood up. Iset set her book down.

“That's good right?”

“I think so,” he said. “Tell Mrs. Weasley that I won’t be in for lunch.

Iset nodded and picked up her book again. Her movement was casual, but he thought he could see the worry in her brown eyes. “Be careful, someone might recognize you.”

“Don’t worry.” Regulus left the library and went to his room. He glanced at the place where the newspapers about the Death Eaters had been. Someone, his brother or Remus, had taken them down. He hadn’t thanked them though he should. But for now, he went to his closet and took out a white silk button-up shirt. The black one he was wearing would be too hot in the sun. He hoped that what he was wearing wouldn’t stand out too much as he had no practice blending in with muggles. While it was strange to hear that Narcissa wanted to meet him in St. James Park, it was smart. There would be no Death Eaters in a place so packed with muggles. After he changed his shirt, he brushed his hair again. Then, he picked up the heavy silver ring that Kreacher had left on his desk. The Black Family signet ring. He turned it over in his hands a few times, before sliding it on his finger and heading out.

Regulus managed to apparate close enough to St. James Park that he didn’t need to use a point me spell to find it, which was good because there were muggles everywhere. Regulus wasn’t sure he had ever seen so many of them, not even in Kings Cross Station. He wasn’t entirely sure how he was supposed to find Narcissa in this mess. Still, he moved into the park as she had said. The grass was brilliant green in the sun and it would have been beautiful if there weren’t so many people.  


Some muggles gave him curious or appraising looks, but nothing that suggested they thought he looked absurd. He wasn't sure he could say the same about some of them. Jackets made out of plaid. Tank tops over shirts. Strange fabrics with geometric patterns and bright colors. Had muggles always dressed this strangely? Regulus had never really had a chance to observe before.

Regulus was relieved when he reached the spot mentioned in the letter. He was early, but that didn’t bother him. Moving so that he was in the shade, Regulus leaned against a tree trunk. It was nice to breathe fresh air after days stuck inside Grimmauld Place. Letting his head fall back and rest against the wood, he waited as the people walking by made a constant background chatter.  


The sound of a gasp, much closer than the other voices got his attention. His eyes flew open. Narcissa was standing there; she had her hand over her mouth and her blue eyes were wide. Regulus studied her, even as he straightened up and took a few steps towards her. Her hair was still dyed white blonde. There were fine lines around her eyes and mouth, but she still looked like herself. He’d expected her to look older after having seen Sirius, but he supposed that Azkaban had aged Sirius beyond the twelve years it should have been.

“Reg,” she said. There was a small quiver in her voice and the sunlight made her eyes shine. Regulus opened his arms, offering a hug. He was slightly surprised when she accepted it. He breathed in the smell of her expensive perfume, it was still the same. Though she also smelled like roses. 

“Cissy,” Regulus said, not sure what else to say. He released her from the hug.

“I can’t believe it,” her eyes were searching his face, though what for, he didn’t know. 

“It’s rather insane, I admit.”

“I’m so glad to have you back,” her voice was still full of emotion. “At least I got you back. Merlin, you look so young though.” 

Regulus let out a single chuckle. “I’m the same age I was the last time you saw me.”

“Yes,” she said, and her eyes were sad now. “But I was young too. We were all so young. I didn’t realize it until… until…”

“Your son,” Regulus finished for her. She nodded. “You’re only two years older than him.”

“I guess it’s true then, that he’s mixed up with the Dark Lord.”

Narcissa let out a single, brittle laugh. “How could he not be? With Lucius,” Regulus noted that the way she said Lucius was much colder than it had been seventeen years ago. “And Bella.  _ He _ is living in my house, Regulus. How can Draco not be involved.

“I’m sorry, Cissy. I am. I wanted…” He trailed off. He wouldn’t tell Cissy about the Horcruxes. The Dark Lord could dig the information out of her brain if he wanted. “I wanted to stop anyone else from being stuck like I was.”

“Can you do it, Reg?” She said. Her voice was completely serious, and her eyes were focused on him.

“I’ve already started.” He forced himself to sound confident. For a long moment, they just stared at each other. Blue eyes to blue eyes. 

“Do it,” Narcissa said at last. Regulus didn’t have to ask what it was. His stomach flipped uncomfortably; he didn’t want to do this. Gritting his teeth, Regulus reached out for Narcissa’s mind.  


_ Narcissa and Bellatrix are standing together in an expensively furnished sitting room. They’re young.  _

_ “He trusts me, Cissy. Me!” Bellatrix’s eyes are bright, almost fanatically so. “He’s trusted me with something special.” _

_ “What is it?” Narcissa asked, curious, but not nearly as excited as Bellatrix. _

_ “I can’t tell you,” she said with a smug smirk.  _

_ ~  
_

_ “What did you do?” Narcissa’s voice was hard and accusatory. She was toe to toe with her husband. Lucius was older than Regulus remembered, his hairline was receding and starting to show grey.  _

_ “The Dark Lord left it in my care.” _

_ “And you should have kept it safe, not sent it to the school. They are kids, Lucius. What if something happens to Draco.” _

_ “Everyone knows the monster only attacks mudbloods. _

_ “Everyone thinks that!” Her voice was going shrill. “We don’t know anything.” _

~

_ A woman with matted black hair that fell past her waist was standing in the Malfoy’s marble foyer looking incredibly out of place. He hardly recognized Bella when she looked up. Her cheekbones stood out in her emaciated face. Her black eyes stood out against her ghost pale skin, shining with madness.  _

_ “Hello little sister,” Bella said with a grin that showed yellowing, horrible teeth.  _

_ “Bella!” Narcissa’s gasp was half horror, half surprise. _

_ “Did you miss me?” Bella still had that horrible smile. _

_ “Of course I did!” _

_ ~  
_

_ Bella, older and still haggard, but cleaner and more filled out. She was pacing up and down the library while Narcissa sat on a bench to read.  _

_ “I need to make sure that it’s safe!” _

_ “I don’t know what you are talking about Bella.”  _

_ “The Dark Lord, he entrusted it to me!” _

_ Narcissa sighed and turned the page of her book. The contrast between them was incredible. Narcissa was like ice, sleek, blonde, cold, elegant. Bellatrix was like a midnight storm, dark-haired, wild, and barely tamed.  _

_ “I can’t help you with that, Bella. You never told me anything about it.” _

_ “I need to get to my house!” _

_ “You stand a good chance of getting caught that way,” Narcissa said, frowning over the top of her book. “Send someone else.” _

_ “No one except for me can open the gates.” _

_ “Not even Rodolphus?” _

_ “Not even Rodolphus,” she said with a wicked grin. _

_ ~  
_

_ The Dark Lord sat at the head of the Malfoy dining table. The light from the overhead chandelier was not flattering on his pale, snake-like visage. His crimson eyes were on the table in front of him, and one gaunt hand was stroking the head of a massive snake. _

_ “Draco,” the voice was cold and high. The boy sitting next to Narcissa stood up. He had the pale Malfoy hair and a slightly narrow face. He didn’t look like a Black.  _

_ “Come here,” the Dark Lord spoke again. “Your aunt speaks highly of you.” _

_ Bellatrix was sitting to the left of the Dark Lord. Her eyes were shining with devotion.  _

_ “Come on Draco,” she said. “The Dark Lord wants to honor you with the dark mark.” _

_ “Silence, Bella!” She shrank back in her chair, but the devotion in her eyes did not so much as flicker. “She is right, Draco, I wish to invite you to join us.” _

_ Narcissa was frozen in her seat. Her pale face was a mask of calm. But her hands were gripping tightly to her skirt. _

_ ~  
_

_ “You will kill Albus Dumbledore, Draco.” The Dark Lord’s voice was somehow colder and crueler than before. “You are in a unique position at the school. I believe you can do this. _

_ “I won’t fail you, Lord,” Draco said. He stood back ramrod straight and head appropriately bowed. His hands were pressed to his sides to hide the shaking. But, the Dark Lord wasn’t looking at Draco, he was looking at Bella and his eyes were wicked. _

_ “Good,” the Dark Lord stroked the head of the massive snake by his side. “Because if you don’t, both of your parents will die.” _

_ Draco’s hands clenched on his pants, but he didn’t say anything.  
_

Regulus gasped and took a step back when he felt his mind return to his body. His emotions swirled chaotically. Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself. He could deal with his own emotions later, right now he needed to deal with Narcissa.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. He wanted to hug her, to hold her, as he had done all those years ago when they lost Andy. But, that wasn’t how Blacks did things. “I promise that I will do everything I can to end this.”

“Everything?” Narcissa asked him. 

“On the family name, Narcissa. I’ll do my best to end this.”

“Good.” Narcissa’s face was cool and collected, but her eyes were dangerous. “My son means more to me than anything. I lost Andy, Sirius, you, Bella, my parents, and Lucius. I had my son. I can’t lose him.”

“You won't,” Regulus said, turning away. “I’ll write to you. It’s best if we don’t stay too long.”

“I’ll see you when this all is over, Reg.”

“When it’s all over.” 


	20. Determination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

When Regulus returned to Grimmauld Place his brother was waiting for him in the hallway. It was all he could do to resist a groan. Sirius looked odd, dressed in muggle jeans and a t-shirt, standing on a centuries-old carpet. 

“I’m surprised you came back in one piece,” Sirius said in a low voice. “You should have at least taken Iset with you.

“Worried about me?” Regulus said, exhaling hard through his nose in what was almost a snort.

“Of course,” Sirius frowned. He rubbed his beard with his hand. “You’re my brother.”

“You could have fooled me.” Regulus pushed past his brother and down the hallway. He could hear the muffled sound of Sirius’ feet on the carpet behind him and knew that he was following behind. 

“Reg,” Sirius started.

“I don't want to talk about it, Sirius.” He kept walking down the hall. He could almost hear his brother grinding his teeth. 

“Meeting with Narcissa was dangerous!” Sirius burst out. Both boys flinched and glanced at the curtains over Walburga Black’s portrait, but they stayed closed.

“No, it wasn’t,” Regulus hissed. 

“What if she tells Bella?”

“She won’t.”

“But,” Sirius stopped talking as Regulus spun in his heel to face his brother. 

“Sirius,” Regulus paused to take a steadying breath. “The world was never as black and white as you wanted it to be. You can’t just hate Cissy because she was in Slytherin or because she’s a Black. You never bothered to get to know her. So don’t stand there and try and tell me things you think you know.

Sirius drew back, and Regulus turned away again. He’d made it as far as the steps when Sirius spoke again.

“Did you at least get what you went for?”

“Maybe I just went to see Cissy because she’s the only one in the family who always cared about me,” Regulus said, taking another step on the stairs. It was a low blow and he knew it, but he wasn’t feeling particularly generous. He kept seeing Draco standing in front of the Dark Lord. It reminded him of when he had been a Death Eater. Bella had ‘spoken highly’ of him as well. 

If Regulus couldn’t take care of the Horcruxes, Narcissa and Draco were going to die. Narcissa had already lost so much. Regulus didn’t want her to lose Draco too. He was chasing these thoughts around as he climbed the stairs. He noticed when he got to the first landing that Sirius hadn’t followed him. He was surprised; the Sirius he remembered had never given up on bothering Regulus that easily. He distinctly remembered Sirius following him through Hogwarts halls trying to get him to talk to him after Sirius had been disowned. He’d kept it up for  _ days. _

When he made it to the level of the library, Iset was sticking her head out of the library. Seeing that it was him, she stepped out into the hallway. 

“How did it go?” Iset held her hand for his. Taking her hand, he pulled her closer. 

“It was good to see her. But it was difficult.” Iset slipped her arms around him. “She’s worried about her son. I looked into her mind. She let me. It was hard to see. I want to help him, help them.”

“You will.” 

“He reminded me of myself.” Regulus reluctantly opened his arms and let Iset step away. Draco’s discomfort had resonated with him and brought up feelings that he’d been mostly avoiding, and Iset’s embrace was comforting. “I don’t even know him, though. I guess his situation reminded me of my own.”

Without letting go of his hand, Iset led him back into the library. They moved to sit on the couch. 

“Why don’t we have Kreacher bring up tea? It’ll help.” It was technically a question, but it felt like a statement. So Regulus called for Kreacher. Iset was right, he felt better with a cup of hot tea in his hands.

“It feels like it should have been happy,” Regulus told her. “We finally get to see each other. But, the war was just looming over us. She looked sad, Iset, and tired. I didn’t think about it, but she must feel so alone. First Andy and Sirius were disowned. Then I died. Then Bella was taken away. Her parents are gone too. Now she’s scared she’s going to lose her son.”

Regulus’ grip on his cup tightened. 

“We won't let that happen,” Iset said. Her voice, calm and confident, helped steady him. 

“Do you know what the Dark Lord is asking of him? He wants Draco to kill  _ Dumbledore. _ I think he knows the kid won’t be able to do it. I think he’s counting on it. When he fails, Narcissa will die too.”

“Drink your tea,” Iset nudged him with her knee.  


“Huh?” 

“Drink your tea,” she repeated. He did. “Focus on actions. There’s so much going on and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by it all. So easy. We need to focus on what we can do, what we can change.”

“You’re right,” he said, drinking more tea.

“We can cry about it all later when everyone is safe.” He looked over at her, and her face was a mask of determination.  


“Later,” he said, trying to somehow absorb her confidence, her calm. 

“Tell me what you learned.”

“Right,” Regulus nodded, finished his tea, and set down the cup. He tried to look at the memories critically, to extract information out of them. “I’m pretty sure that Bella has a Horcrux. There’s no way to know if it’s the cup, though. It’s in her house; the Lestrange Estate, I mean.”

“We should tell Dumbledore. We found what he wanted. He can go get it.”

Regulus started to nod, but then shook his head. “We should tell him. But he’s probably going to send us to get it. He went himself because he didn’t want to tell anyone about the Horcruxes. Now that someone else knows, I doubt he’ll go get it himself.

Iset nodded. “Fine, then we get it. We get it. We destroy it and the locket. Then we’ll be two-thirds of the way there.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“I didn’t say that it’s easy. I said we’re going to do it.” He desperately wanted to believe her. 

Regulus took a deep breath and scrubbed his hands over his face. “We need to make a plan.”

“What do you know about the house? Have you been there before?” Iset reached for the stack of books that she kept by the couch. She pulled out a scroll of parchment and fished a quill and ink out of somewhere. With the quill poised above the paper, she gave him an expectant look. 

“Right,” Regulus said. He hadn’t been planning on starting to do things right this moment, but he knew Iset well enough to know that if she wanted to do this now, they were doing it now. “Bella said that she’s the only one who can get into the house. Rodolphus can’t even go without her. It must be some kind of spell. As for the house itself, I’ve been there before, but only in the public areas: sitting room, dining room, foyer, you know.” 

“We should try and determine what type of magic can do that. Then we know if it can be tricked or broken.” She wrote something on the parchment and then tapped the quill against the paper. “We should go over the protections that he had in the cave, they may help us prepare for what might be at the Lestrange Estate.” Her voice softened, “I know you don’t want to think about it.”

“No,” Regulus shook his head, and his hair fell into his face. “I don’t, but you’re right. We don’t have a lot of other information. We should ask Dumbledore what he had set up at the Gaunts’ place. Hopefully, it’s spell work. Make all that time my father spent making me study curses actually useful.”

“One more thing,” Iset said. She sounded almost hesitant and that made Regulus look up at her. “We should bring Sirius.”

“We- what?” 

“He’s an animagus. Spells that are designed to keep  _ people _ out often don’t work on animagi. It’s part of why they have to be registered.”

Regulus wanted to say no, that he didn’t want Sirius to be involved in this, maybe that he didn’t trust Sirius. But, he knew that was petty. It was even childish. Sirius was the only one who had managed to break out of Azkaban after all. Regulus supposed he could be… useful

“Fine.”


	21. Malfoy Manor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking in to Malfoy Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

“We just have to get the Horcrux, she says,” Regulus rubbed his temples. He was sitting at the dining room table across from Iset. Outside, the sun was just rising, but there were no windows into the dining room, so all the light came from the chandeliers overhead. 

“I never said it would be easy,” Iset responded. There was a scroll of parchment in front of her and she was tapping her quill against it as she thought.

Groaning, Regulus buried his face in his hands. “I know that. That doesn’t mean that this is any less mad.”

Picking up one of the free scrolls of parchment on the table, Regulus started writing. 

_ Cissy, _

_ Thank you. I hope you enjoy your dinner with Bella.  _

_ R.A.B  _

_ P.S. fortior _

Regulus tapped the parchment with a few muttered words and it turned blank. He carefully folded it and called for Kreacher.

“Take this to Cissy. Make sure she is alone.” Kreacher took it and bowed. 

“Yes, Master Regulus.”

“Thank you, Kreacher.” 

Regulus sat back down at the table. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much for him to do but wait. Iset was making a list of supplies she needed for her wandless magic in case things went to hell. Regulus didn’t have anything to do until 16:00 when he would go to Narcissa’s house and get some hair from Bellatrix’s hairbrush for the polyjuice potion. His brain raced, trying to make sure they had everything. It had been weeks, but that didn’t make him feel more prepared.

“You’re being antsy,” Iset said without looking up from her list even though she hadn’t added anything to it for several minutes. 

“I just,” Regulus struggled to find the words he wanted. “I don’t want to die again.”

“I don't want that either,” Iset said, “but you aren’t helping anything. Why don’t you go up to the library.”

So, Regulus retreated to the library for the rest of the day. He didn’t really have anything else to do. Besides, the smell of books that filled the library was comforting. There were two large stacks of books on the desk. He decided to try to track down Ravenclaw’s diadem rather than reviewing curse-breaking theory one more time. With a sigh, he pulled the top one off a stack and started to go through it. To his surprise, he lost track of time and Iset appeared around two with a plate of sandwiches. She handed the plate to him and sat down, picking up a book from her own stack by the couch. Neither of them spoke, but the silence between them was tense. Regulus found it impossible to focus on the book. Dread was twisting his stomach in knots. Last time he went after a Horcrux, he died, and he wasn’t in a rush to repeat the experience. Instead, he pulled his sketchbook out of the drawer. It was much easier to lose himself in the way she looked bathed in the golden afternoon sun than it had been in the book. His fingers itched to capture the curve of her neck, the twisting inky pattern of her braided bun, the way she pursed her lips, and a million other details that made her up.

When the clock chimed three forty-five, they vacated the library. 

Sirius was pacing up and down the hall like a caged animal. “Where have you two been?” He snapped.

“In the library,” Regulus said calmly. “Doing some reading. There’s still another Horcrux after this one.”

“Don’t you think we should worry about one at a time?” Sirius demanded.

“Worrying does nothing,” Iset broke in before the brothers could get going. “We have a plan. It’s almost time to go. You do remember the plan, don't you?”

Sirius just rolled his eyes. “Yes, I remember the plan. It’s really absurd that  _ you _ are treating me like a child.”

“Last time I saw you, you were always acting like a child,” Iset said coolly. “I haven’t had enough time to update my opinion.”

Sirius growled, but to Regulus’ surprise didn’t say anything. Maybe he was trying to prove that he had matured in the last seventeen years. Iset turned away from him and gripped Regulus’ arm tightly. 

“We’ll see you outside of the manor?”

“You’ll see Bella outside of the manor,” Regulus responded with a smile. Iset rolled her eyes, but let go of him. 

“Be safe.”

“It’s just Malfoy manor. No need to worry.”

“You are  _ sure _ about Narcissa,” Sirius cut in. Regulus actually did roll his eyes this time.

“Yes, I trust her. Cissy will keep Bella occupied. I passed along your spell for strengthening the wine. Besides, it's a bit too late to be doubting her now.” 

Sirius frowned at him but passed him a flask. “Polyjuice potion from Moody. It's enough for a few hours.”

Regulus took the flash and tucked it into his robes. With a deep breath, he gathered himself and started walking towards the door to the house. “See you both soon. Don’t kill each other.” 

Sirius barked a laugh and Iset snorted, and then Regulus was opening the front door and stepping outside. He’d spent enough time at the Malfoy Estate that he didn’t have any problems picturing it as he apparated away. 

Then he was standing alone in front of a pair of wrought iron gates. Regulus had once known all of the security measures on these gates, he really hoped that they hadn’t been drastically changed while he was dead; Narcissa would have mentioned it if they had, right?. His heartbeat was racketing faster and faster. It wasn’t just Cissy on the other side of these gates, it was Bella and Rodolpus and Merlin help him, probably the Dark Lord himself. For a second, Regulus was paralyzed with fear. How was he supposed to just walk into this house? But he’d already defied the Dark Lord once, right? And Iset was waiting for him. He had to do this. 

All he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat in his ears, but Regulus raised his left arm to the gate, letting the robes fall back. For the first time since he’d returned to the realm of the living, he felt a stirring in the dark mark on his arm, and the gate swung open before him. Regulus almost stumbled with relief as he entered. Grateful for the time he had spent here during summer breaks, Regulus took a side path through the garden and to a side door. His ears were straining for the sound of another person, and more than once he almost jumped out of his skin only to realize that it was another peacock. 

A few minutes later he reached the side door, his heart was still racing. He was resigning himself to the fact that his heart rate probably wouldn’t go down until after they had escaped with the Horcrux… if they escaped. Maybe he would go into cardiac failure and be put out of his misery. But, that didn’t happen, so he pushed the door open carefully. 

Stepping inside, Regulus could hear the sound of Bella’s characteristic cackle. Even though it was diluted by distance, it sent shivers down his spine. Bella had always unnerved him, and acting as a Death Eater by her side had only shown him the depths of her cruel insanity. Regulus gritted his teeth, he had things to do. The dining room was halfway across the manor from here, no one was going to see him. Regulus moved through the house, taking the back stairs used by the house-elves to get to the family quarters. He was slightly calmed by memories of running up and down these stairs as a child, chasing after Cissy and Bella and Andy. 

None of the doors were locked, but who locks doors in their own house anyway? Regulus put his ear to each one before he opened it: an empty guest room, an empty guest room, what looked to be a teenage boy’s room, an empty guest room, and then a guest room suite that looked lived in. Regulus slipped in and eased the door shut behind him. There were no photos or memorabilia in the room that would immediately tell him whose it was. 

There was a bed, a wardrobe, a pair of chairs, a vanity, and a desk. Regulus quickly crossed to the desk. It was neatly kept with only a quill and ink on the surface. Moving to open one of the desk drawers, he found it locked. As quietly as he could, he used _A_ _ lohomora  _ to unlock the drawer. The drawer was full of neatly stacked letters all written in precise handwriting. All of them were addressed to “Bellatrix, my most loyal servant.” At the bottom, they were stamped with the dark mark. Regulus dropped the papers as if they could burn him and slammed the door shut, regardless of the noise it made.

At least he’d found Bella’s room. Shoving the letters from his mind, he moved to the vanity. Opening the drawer to the vanity, and praying for no more surprises, he was grateful when he found that the drawer contained a hairbrush, combs, pins and a myriad of other such objects. Regulus pulled a few long black hairs out of the brush, shoved them in his pocket, and moved towards the door. He wanted to get out of this house as fast as he could. Still, he paused to listen at the door, the hallway was completely silent, so he stepped out. He could hear his heart hammering again as he made his way back to the servant stairs and out of the house. He didn’t pause for breath until he had escaped the grounds and disapparated to Lestrange Manor. 

Several long and slightly shaky breaths later, Regulus’ heartbeat was slowing down. He tried not to think about the fact that he wasn’t even close to done yet; he’d only managed the easiest part of the mission. Grimacing, he pulled the flask of polyjuice potion from his pocket and shoved the hair into it. He closed the lid and shook it. He opened it up and tried not to grimace and the black, tar-like substance in the flask.


	22. Lestrange Estate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going after the Cup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus tried not to look down at himself as he did. He really hadn’t thought through the fact that he would have Bellatrix’s body. He pulled the hood of the robes up high to shadow his face. He had to take several steps before he was steady; his center of balance was in completely the wrong place. Once he felt ready, he straightened up his spine, but on his best imperious glare, and stalked down the road towards the manor. As he swept up to the gates a large black dog bounded up to him. He felt a hand press itself to the small of his back.

“Please be you,” Iset whispered.

“Of course,” Regulus murmured. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be. I already tried the gates. It’s like Narcissa said, they’re magically locked.” 

The gates outside the Lestrange Manor were heavy iron, much less decorative than the ones outside the Malfoy Manor. Regulus put his hand, Bella’s hand, against the gate and pushed. They swung open. The three of them breathed a collective sigh of relief. First step, complete. Regulus swept up the main path with Sirius, as a dog, bounding beside him and Iset’s hand on his back. As they approached the front door, they noticed that the light in one of the windows was on. Regulus clenched his fist. He had hoped no one would be here, that like the cave, they would have relied on spells. 

It was too late to back out of this now. 

The double set of front doors swung open in front of him. At first, he thought that someone had enchanted the door to open when the Lestranges came home, which was a vanity even the Malfoy’s hadn’t yet indulged in, but then he saw the small form of a house-elf at the doors. 

“Mistress,” the elf squeaked and bowed low enough to press her face flat to the floor. “I wasn’t expecting you. I’m sorry. I’ll get the lights.”

“Quiet,” Regulus snapped. He didn’t want to be mean to the elf, but he had to pretend to be Bella. “I have business to attend to. Just get out of my way and stay there.”

“Yes Mistress,” the elf squeaked and ran as fast as her legs could carry her down the hallway to the right. Regulus walked through the entry hall, feet sinking into the plush carpet, and turned down the hall to the left, towards the light that had been on. The light spilled from under one of the doorways, making the correct door easy to find.

Regulus shoved it open and stepped in. A rather attractive young man with black hair and large front teeth was sitting at a table there. He leaped to his feet, wand out. He automatically lowered his wand when he saw Bellatrix.

“Mrs. Lestrange,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting you.” 

Regulus raised his wand and the man flinched back. “Imperio!”

The man’s expression softened. Regulus felt his stomach turn uneasily. He really didn’t like to use this spell. 

“Why are you here?”

“To guard the door!”

“What door?” The man lifted the rug in the center of the room to reveal a trap door. 

“What's inside?” Regulus asked next.

“Something important. I don’t know!” 

“What are the defenses in there?”

“I just told you. I don't know!”

Regulus sighed. He should have known better. As few people as possible would have been given the information. 

“You are to stay in the room and not speak to anyone,” Regulus said. The man nodded. “Sit.”

The man sat on the chair that he had vacated when they came in. 

“Incarcerous.” Sirius’ voice came from beside him. Heavy ropes appeared and bound the man to the chair. Iset appeared beside him a moment later, carefully folding up the invisibility cloak and handing it to Sirius, who put it in his robes. 

“I don’t think there’s much point in disguise from here on out,” Sirius said and Regulus nodded. Sirius knelt and pulled the handle of the trap door, which opened. Inside the trap door was nothing but darkness. 

“Lumos!” Iset knelt beside the opening and held her wand in front of it. “There’s some sort of mist? Do you think it’s cursed?”

Regulus swallowed hard. He pulled out his own wand and moved it over the opening, muttering. He had several spells for detecting and identifying curses and other dark magic. When he’d learned the dark arts, he’d learned how to identify a curse and break it in a way that allowed him to recast it.

“It’s not a curse,” he said at last. “I’m fairly confident.”

“Fairly confident,” Sirius muttered.

“Can you do better?” Regulus demanded. Sirius just frowned at him.

“Guess there’s nothing left to do but jump,” Sirius said. “I’ll go first.” He didn’t actually jump. He went to the side and slid in so that he was hanging by his hands from the trap door’s opening. 

“Well,” Iset said when nothing happened to Sirius. “It’s not cursed.”

Sirius let go. A moment later there was a thud as he landed. “It’s not far down, you can just jump.”

Regulus motioned for Iset to go first. She made a face as she looked at the opening in the floor. Still, she slid to the edge and dropped in. Regulus followed. 

He landed on stone and looked around. The only light came from the tip of Iset’s wand. The light bounced off of the mist around them, he couldn’t see anything except for Sirius and Iset.

“Oh,” Iset said, looking at him. “That's what it does.”

“What?” Regulus asked. Iset just gestured at him so he looked down and found that he looked like himself again. “Well, I guess it did what we wanted it to.”

“Now,” Sirius said. “Which way do we go?”

“We need to see better,” Iset said. Regulus agreed. 

Sirius turned so that his back was to them and held out his wand. “Ventus!” he said before Regulus could ask what he was doing. A powerful cone of wind sprang from his wand. Sirius moved in a circle around Regulus and Iset, the wind shredded the mist. In the wand light, they could see that they were in a small stone room. There was only one door. They approached it carefully, wands raised. Sirius reached out to open the door, but Iset caught his hand

“Wait!” She wasn’t looking at the door, but at the lintel. Strange marks were carved into it.

“You think that’s a spell?” Sirius asked tilting his neck back to look at them

“I don’t know, I can’t see them very well.” She took several steps back, presumably to see the lintel better, but shook her head. “I can’t tell.”

Regulus looked at the marks. They seemed familiar somehow; maybe he’d seen them in ancient runes. They weren’t futhark though. Looking at Sirius, he guessed his brother didn’t know either. 

“I think it’s writing,” Regulus said. “But, I don’t recognize it. Iset might.”

“Maybe,” Iset said, “but I’m too short to read it.”

Regulus tapped his wand against his leg, thinking.  


“We need to hurry up,” Sirius said, also tapping his wand. 

“Get on my back,” Regulus said, kneeling down on one knee.

“What?” Iset asked.

“If you get on my back, you should be high enough up to see the writing.” Iset glancing between the lintel and Regulus, nodded. It was awkward, and Iset had to hike her skirt up, but they managed. Keeping one hand on Regulus’ shoulder for balance, Iset held her wand to the marks. 

“It’s a curse,” she pronounced almost immediately. “It’s done in hieratic script. Withering for those who enter with impure intentions.”

“Can you break it?” Sirius asked. 

Iset bit her lip. “I’m not an expert in curse-breaking by any means.”

“Could you just destroy the carvings?” Sirius asked next.  


“Regulus,” Iset said, “you know more about curse breaking than I do.”

“Yes, but I’ve never done something with Egyptian curses. With normal curse breaking, you need to take the pieces of the spell and neutralize them separately and in order. Could you do that with what's written up there?” His voice was a bit strained from carrying Iset’s weight.

“What if I tell you the parts of the spell, and you reverse them,” Iset says. 

“Fair enough.” 

“I’m getting down,” Iset announced. She held tight to his shoulders, and he let go of her legs so she could drop to the ground. Iset pulled a small bag that was hanging around her neck out from inside her dress. Getting a piece of chalk, she quickly copied what she had seen above. Then she grouped the words together. Slowly, she explained each part to Regulus who had his wand at the ready. They went over it twice before Regulus prepared to break the spell.

“Come on,” Sirius said, tapping his wand almost violently against his leg. “We don’t have forever.”

“I would not like to turn into a desiccated pile, thanks,” Iset said sharply. 

“Hush,” Regulus said. “Both of you.” After a deep breath, he began to move his wand and murmur counterspells. His heartbeat was racing again and he was desperately hoping that this worked. The fact that all three of them could die if he did this wrong was not lost on him. The doorway began to glow a sickly green color. Then, as he said the last word, the light flashed and there was a sharp crack overhead. Blinking to clear his eyes, Regulus looked up and saw a long crack ran through the rock where the writing was. 

“I guess that worked,” Sirius said, then pushed forward. Iset let out a small squeak, either of surprise or fear, Regulus wasn’t sure. But Sirius passed through the door unharmed. However, he stopped hard on the other side. 

“What is it?” Regulus couldn’t see anything past his brother’s shoulder. Iset ducked and looked under his arm. 

“Dementors,” Sirius said, voice rough. Regulus felt a cold pool in the pit of his stomach. 

“Patronus time,” Regulus said, feeling more confident than he was. He could cast a Patronus, but he’d never been very good at it. 

Nudging his brother in the back, Regulus said. “Sirius, you’re going to have to move out of the way.

Sirius stepped to the side, and Regulus almost wished he hadn’t. The dementors had been on The Dark Lord’s side last time, so he had spent time around them. But they had always been under someone else's control. Iset stepped up beside him, her hand was trembling slightly as she raised her wand. It made him feel better to know that he wasn’t the only one freaking out.

There were four dementors. They had turned to face the three intruders but had yet to approach. Their cold touch had already spread frost along the walls and ceiling of the room. They were in front of a heavy wooden door. The room was filled with the horrible rattling sound of their breathing.

“Expecto Patronum!” The sound came from his left, from Sirius. A silver dog rushed out of his wand. The dementors turned their heads towards Sirius in unison. The closest one reached out a single skeletal, rotting hand.

Regulus squeezed his eyes closed, he pictured Iset running towards him across the quidditch pitch. Her cheeks were pink from the wind and she looked so happy, proud of him. “Expecto Patronum!” A wall of silver rushed from his wand, strong, but not corporeal. Better, he had to do better. Sitting with Iset in the back of the library, legs pressed together. She was laughing silently, with her hand over her mouth. He felt like he was glowing with the way she looked at him: like he was funny, like he was important, like he was worth something. “Expecto Patronum!”

The silver wall in front of him formed into a fox. 

“Expecto Patronum,” Iset’s voice came from beside him. Silver smoke shot out of her wand. Regulus had to keep his wand up, to keep the Patronus in front of him, but he leaned his shoulder against hers. She took a slow, shaky breath and closed her eyes. “Expecto Patronum!”

A silver fox shot out of her wand. Regulus blinked in surprise. It rushed up beside his own Patronus. It was slightly smaller than his fox. Iset’s left hand reached out and gripped his shoulder.

“Let’s go!” Sirius said, pushing forward, dog Patronus bounding ahead of him and leaping at the dementors, which scattered. Regulus and Iset crowded in behind him. Regulus’ heart was pounding in his ears and he could see that both of his companions were pale. Sirius had sweat on his forehead and his hand was shaking hard. Regulus wondered if he was thinking of Azkaban. But the thought made his Patronus flicker, and he had to turn his thoughts back to it, to Iset, to the pair of silver foxes nipping at the dementors. Sirius managed to pull the door open and they tumbled through it, Regulus slammed it behind them. They were in the dark again.

“Lumos!” Regulus lit the tip of his wand. His hand was still shaking a bit. Ahead of them, a golden cage floated. He heard the other two gasp. Hufflepuff’s cup was on a cushion in the cage.

Sirius was about to take a step forward and Regulus flung out his arm, stopping his brother from moving. 

“Don’t be so hasty. This seems too easy.”

“Too easy!” Sirius hissed. “There was an ancient Egyptian curse and dementors.”

“Last time,” Regulus hissed right back. “There was a blood sacrifice, a lake  _ full _ of inferi, and a potion that causes excruciating pain while making you relive the worst moments of your life. You can’t just rush headfirst into everything, Sirius.”

“What should we do?” Iset asked. She was looking around the room, probably for more writing. 

“Let me try and see what sort of spells are in here. Do you see any more writing? Any potions?”

Iset shook her head, so Regulus raised his wand and started to try and discern the magic present in the room, Latin words rolling off of his tongue with the ease of much practice. The air around the cage began to shimmer and the light coalesced into a web of gossamer red strands. 

Regulus paused to study the sight in front of him. He was unfamiliar with this particular spell, but he knew enough about curses to put together what it did. “It’s designed to boil the blood of anyone who touches it.”

“Cheerful,” Sirius said. “Can you break it?”

Regulus sighed. Of course, Sirius would expect him to deal with it. “Yes, but it might take some time.” 

“Reg,” Iset said. “Remember how I said we should bring Sirius because he’s an animagus. Is this spell designed to boil the blood of a person or of a living creature?”

“Hmm,” Regulus took a second look at the spell in front of him. He didn’t know a spell to get that sort of information out of a curse. However... “Avis!” Birds shot out of his wand tip. And flew straight through the red web. They wheeled around the room a few times, unhindered.

Sirius was looking at them with a critical eye. “They look fine,” he didn’t sound entirely convinced. Regulus didn’t blame him.

“That’s the best I can do,” Regulus said. “I can probably dismantle the curse, but it’ll take me a while. It’s not as neatly written out as the one on the door outside.”

“Fuck it,” Sirius said. “If it kills me, make sure you destroy the Horcrux.”

“You’ll be fine,” Iset said, crossing her arms. “Don’t be dramatic.

Sirius gave her a sharp look but transformed into a dog. The black shaggy dog shook itself once and took a cautious step forward

“He’s always dramatic.”

The dog growled. A faint smile flickered across Regulus’ face despite the situation. The dog had its hackles up. Animals were supposed to be sensitive to dark magic; Regulus would have to ask Sirius about it later. If he didn’t die.

Just then the dog lunged, jumping through the curse in one bound. Getting up on his hind legs, he grabbed the birdcage and pulled it back with him. Setting the cage on the ground in front of Regulus, the dog sat. Regulus knelt and opened the cage, pulling the cup out. Then he passed the cup to Iset. He held his wand up to the cup and cast  _ Geminio _ so that he was holding an exact replica of the cup. He put it in the cage and stepped back. The dog gripped the cage in its maw and carried it back to the center of the room. Regulus levitated the cage back into the air. He looked at Iset; she’d already hidden the cup away. A moment later, Sirius was standing beside them, human again.


	23. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting back out of the Lestrange Estate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of child abuse and familial violence
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

“We have it now!” Iset said. “Let’s get out.”

Regulus glanced one more time at the replica cup in the cage; that was the best they could do for now. Sirius put his hand on the door handle and motioned for them to hurry up. Frost was spreading across the stone of the doorway, suggesting that the dementors were close on the other side.

“We better cast the Patronus before you open that door,” Regulus said. A moment later there were three cries of ‘Expecto Patronum’ and the room was filled with gentle silver light. Sirius jerked the door open and three silver animals leaped through the door.

A horrible sound came from one of the dementors as they fell back. The three of them ran for it. The curse on the next door was lifted, so they ran right back through it. The mist in the first room had yet to return so they could see the trapdoor overhead. They stood in silence for a moment, listening, but they didn’t hear anything overhead.

“I’ll lift Iset up,” Regulus said. “Then help you up, Sirius. Then Sirius can help pull me up.”

“You lift me up?” Sirius asked. Regulus looked him over.

“You don’t have as much muscle as you used to,” Regulus said. 

“And you do?”

“I don’t play quidditch for nothing.”

“Boys!” Iset said in a frustrated voice. “Not the time for a pissing contest, okay. Argue about it later.”

“Right,” Regulus said, feeling himself flush a bit. “Come here, I’ll lift you up.” 

With a firm grip on her waist, he bent his knees and hefted her up over his head. Iset quickly gripped the side and used the momentum to pull herself up into the other room. She gasped. Regulus swore. 

“Sirius,” Regulus gestured for him to come closer. “I can’t lift you like that, so I’ll give you a boost. But, we need to get up there.”

Sirius nodded. Regulus made a cradle with his hands and Sirius stepped into it. Regulus grunted with the effort as he heaved up. Luckily, Sirius is tall and didn’t need much of a lift to grab the opening and heavy himself up. 

“Ahmose?” Iset sounded startled. Regulus shifted from foot to foot, unable to contain his anxiety.

“Iset?” A male voice replied, sounding confused.

Sirius was leaning down over the edge to grip Regulus's hand. Regulus jumped up and Sirius grabbed one of his arms with both hands, pulling it up. Regulus barely managed to grab the edge of the trap door opening. There were several moments of scrambling before he was up on the stone floor of the main room. Once he was up, he looked around. 

The man they had previously incarcerated, was out and he had his wand pointed at the three invaders. There was another man, however. He had the same fawn-colored skin as Iset and her features were echoed in his face. The two were staring at each other with surprised faces. 

“Iset is dead!” The man snarled. He looked at Sirius and Regulus, eyes narrowing. “You two, what have you done? Using my dead sister against me.”

“Ahmose!” Iset said severely. Then she started speaking in rapid-fire Arabic. The man took half a step back, obviously surprised but quickly regained his composure and started arguing back

Regulus turned his attention to the other man in the room. He had his wand pointed at Sirius and Regulus. The brothers glanced at each other. It was two on one. Regulus knew what he should do; he should kill this man. He was a Death Eater, but if that was a death sentence, Regulus might as well kill himself. He was frozen: wand out and ready, but he couldn’t get the words out. 

There were two shouts and a flash of colors from his side. The man facing Regulus and Sirius turned to look and Sirius hit him in the chest with a stunner. Regulus swung to look at Iset before the man’s body hit the floor; his heart lurched and he froze.

The man was holding Iset, who was unconscious. Regulus could just see the rise and fall of her chest. His eyes were glued to the wand pressed to Iset’s head. Beside him, Sirius swore, but Regulus couldn’t say anything. 

“She never was very good at dueling,” the man said conversationally. “Tiye always beat her. You two will put your wands down if you don’t want me to kill her.”

“She’s your sister,” Regulus protested, finding his voice at last.  


The man made a face. “That won't make me hesitate,” the man, Ahmose, said. His eyes were cold and his wand hand completely steady. Regulus believed him. “Now, put your wands down.”

Regulus and Sirius glanced at each other. They could both attack him, but he would almost certainly have time to curse her before their spells hit him. Besides, Iset was the one with the cup. Regulus lowered his wand hand, and Sirius copied him. 

“Set them on the desk.” 

They did. Regulus was worrying his lip between his teeth, trying to come up with an idea. Sirius’ face was white with anger. The man prodded them out of the room and down to the end of the hall, where he opened a door that led to an empty stone room. Regulus and Sirius entered. The man shoved in Iset next, her body falling limply forward. Rushing forward, Regulus managed to catch her before she hit the ground. 

The man looked down at Iset’s unconscious body. “You should have stayed dead,” he said coldly, before turning and slamming the door shut. There was the click of a lock, and everything went silent. It was pitch dark here, with no windows to shed light. 

Regulus shook Iset gently. “Iset,” he said. “Iset, come on, wake up.” He couldn’t see Sirius, but he could hear him. It sounded like he was pacing. After what felt like forever, but was probably only a minute or two, Iset began to stir. Regulus exhaled hard, tension leaving his shoulders.

“Ugh,” Iset said. “What? Why is it so dark?

“We’re in a cell, of sorts,” Regulus said. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, pushing herself upright. Regulus wanted to keep holding her, but he let her go. “Just a stunning spell. Stupid little brother. Last time I saw him, he was about as tall as my knee and always tugging on my skirt.”

Regulus could feel that Iset was moving, but he couldn’t see what she was doing. 

“Glad you’re okay, but we need to get out of here,” Sirius’ voice came from behind them. “I’m sure he’s called for reinforcements. He took our wands, and I gave my knife to Harry.

“Working on it,” Iset said. 

“Knife?” asked Regulus.

“I had a knife that opened any door,” Sirius said.

“Of course you did,” Regulus said with a roll of his eyes. 

“Regulus,” Iset said. 

“Yeah?” 

“Hold this.” There was a moment of fumbling and he felt something cylindrical and waxy pressed into his hand: a candle.

“Can one of you light that?” She asked. 

“Light what?” Sirius said, coming closer until he bumped into Regulus.

“Candle,” Regulus said. “I can’t. I was never great with wandless magic.”

“Here,” Sirius said, reaching down Regulus' arm. He snapped his fingers and the candle started to glow. “Been lighting cigarettes for years.”

“Cheers,” Iset said, moving to the door. “Regulus, bring the candle over here.” He moved so that he was sitting against the wall next to the door.  


Iset held her hand up to the door. “Alohomora”. The lock rattled but didn’t open. “Figures,” she muttered. A moment later, Iset had chalk in her hand. First, she drew two rings around the door handle in white chalk, then she started to write symbols following the curve of the circles. The chalk she was using was a disconcerting rusty brown color. 

“Nice of the Lestranges to have a cell in their house,” Sirius said conversationally. “I wonder if it's for house-elves or children? Mother always just used the cellar.”

“Better than a crypt,” Iset said, finishing up her writing. “Jida used the crypt.

Sirius winced. Iset put the chalk back in her bag, then reached in for something else.

“How many things do you have in there?” Sirius asked, eyeing the small bag with distrust

“Plenty,” Iset said. “Extension charms are wonderful things.” She pulled out a small metal plate and then a small cone. Regulus watched with curiosity as she murmured something and set the cone on the plate. 

“Sirius, can you light it?” Sirius leaned forward, put his hand over it and snapped again. There was a flicker and then a curl of smoke came forward. Iset gently fanned it with her hand until there was a substantial curl of smoke rose up and he could smell something woody and spicy. Iset held the plate up and blew the smoke into the lock. The writing around the door handle glowed bright enough that Regulus covered his eyes with his free hand and there was the soft click of the lock. 

“We need to get our wands,” Sirius said.

“One of us should sneak out and get them,” Iset said. “Much less likely to work than all of us.”

“I’ll go,” Regulus said, “I can Accio them without a wand.” It was the one wandless spell that the Dark Lord insisted they should all know. It stopped you from being made completely useless in a fight.  


Iset nodded, though she bit her lip in worry. She took the candle from him and blew it out. Regulus put his hand on the door handle as he listened to Sirius and Iset backing away. When they stopped moving, he carefully inched the door open, glancing through the crack. There was no one in the hallway. Grateful that stone floors didn’t squeak like wooden ones, Regulus edged down the hall towards the room. It still seemed to be the only room with a light on. The door was half-closed, and Regulus glanced into the room as quickly as he could and moved his head back. Iset’s brother was sitting at the desk. The boy that Sirius had stunned was still on the ground. Regulus could see his wand, along with Sirius’ and Iset’s, on the table next to the wizard.

“Accio wands,” he hissed as quietly as he could. He stepped into the door to catch them. The man was just turning around.

“Stupify!” Regulus caught his wand and hit the man in the chest with the spell. The man slumped in his chair, bald head dropping down towards his chest. For a moment, he wanted to kill him. The sight of the man pointing a wand at his own sister, dropping her like a broken toy. It would be easy to kill him; Regulus had done it before and to people who deserved it a lot less. Regulus lowered his wand; he didn’t want to be that person anymore. He started to walk away before he realized something. He turned back to the room and obliviated both men. Then he quickly made his way back towards Iset and Sirius. 

“Come on guys, let’s get out of here,” he called. They burst out of the door and rushed towards him. Sirius snatched his wand from Regulus’ hand, and Regulus handed Iset hers. Regulus turned back towards the exit and they ran for it. Regulus’ could hear the rush of his heartbeat in his ears. Iset’s brother had almost certainly called for backup. They needed to get out of there before backup arrived. There was a chance that the Dark Lord himself would show up, and Regulus desperately did not want to be here when that happened. 

“We won't be able to apparate away until we are out of the grounds,” Regulus said, his voice a bit winded

When they made it out of the front door, the tightness in Regulus’ chest eased a bit. But they weren’t in the clear yet. His eyes were glued to the gates, terrified for the moment when someone would appear on the other side of them. He reached the gate first and pushed it open. Luckily, the lock was designed to keep people out, not in. Sirius almost ran into him as they rushed out of the gates. Sirius vanished with a crack almost as soon as his feet were out of the gate. Once Iset was out the gates, Regulus grabbed her arm and spun on his heel to apparate away. Sirius had already opened the front door, which was good because Regulus landed poorly on the top step and stumbled through the doorway. Iset still had her running momentum and crashed into Regulus and sent them tumbling to the ground.

Regulus found himself laughing. He was sprawled across the green entryway carpet, with Iset half on top of him, and he was alive. He was alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the names Ahmose, Tiye, and Iset are all names from Ancient Egypt. This is intentional. Families like the Blacks and the Malfoys tend to use old Latin names that are largely out of use (Draco, Narcissa, Andromeda, Regulus, Walburga etc). They probably do this to show their status as an ancient family. I imagine that Iset's family has been passing down their names since the days of Ancient Egypt and refuse to modernize.


	24. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Weasleys and Harry/Hermione greet the returning adventurers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of child abuse
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

The sound of laughter brought out Harry and his friends. Regulus managed to get himself straightened up and helped Iset to her feet. Sirius was grinning like a maniac, and four teenagers were staring at them from the end of a hallway.

“It’s good to hear you actually laugh,” Sirius said. For once, Regulus didn’t feel the need to come up with a snarky response. “All you needed was to almost die!”

“Almost die!” Harry gasped. “You almost died!”

There was the rattle of curtains and Mrs. Black’s portrait started to scream. “Filth! Filth in my house!”

“Merlin's balls,” Sirius swore, striding forward. Regulus followed him.

“Mother,” Regulus strode to stand in front of her. For once, he didn’t feel intimidated. This wasn’t even her, it was a painting. “You’re embarrassing yourself. You should act with decorum befitting a Black.”

There was silence, her mouth hung open as she stared at him. Before she could gather herself for a new onslaught, Sirius waved his wand and the curtains slammed shut. Then Sirius started laughing, not a single harsh, barking laugh, but really laughing. 

“Never,” Sirius was having trouble speaking, he was laughing so hard. “In my life, did I imagine that happening.

Regulus could hear feet on the stairs and the creak of the loose floorboards. Glancing over, Regulus saw that Mrs. Weasley and Lupin had joined the crowd in the hall. 

“You’re back!” Mrs. Weasley pushed herself past the kids. “I was so worried, I didn’t even know where you had gone. The order is out of their mind sending kids off like that.” There was genuine worry in her voice.

Then, to Regulus’ vast surprise, she hugged him. She grabbed Iset’s arm and pulled her in too. Her hug was warm and comforting

“Now,” she said, releasing them. The look she gave him was full of motherly concern. “You two just come in the kitchen and I’ll make you some tea.”

To his horror, Regulus felt tears burning his eyes. He’d walked through this door hundreds, if not thousands of times, and never once had he been greeted by a mother’s hug. He tried to turn away, but Mrs. Weasley saw.

“Oh, dear,” she said and hugged him again. Regulus closed his eyes. 

“Let’s go to the kitchen,” Sirius said, maybe a bit too loudly. “I can tell you all how we broke into my cousin’s house.”

“You’re okay,” Mrs. Weasley said gently and let him go. Regulus rubbed his eyes hard, trying to force back the tears.

“I’m sorry,” he said. He could feel heat in his cheeks. This was so embarrassing. 

“Nonsense.” Her voice brooked no argument. She gave the curtains of Walburga’s painting a dark look. “You just take your time. I’ve got to go finish dinner. I’ll see what we have, maybe I can make something special for dessert.”

Mrs. Weasley was at the stairs down to the dining room and kitchen when she stopped and looked back. “I’m always here if you need anything.”

Regulus felt Iset’s hand on his shoulder and turned to her. 

“That was embarrassing,” he said gruffly. 

“When I went to the US, I was studying with this little old woman. When I finished the first chapter of my thesis, she hugged me. She told me that I’d done it really well and she was proud of me. I burst into tears; I cried for maybe 10 minutes. I just couldn’t stop. No one ever said they were proud of me before. So, don’t worry about it.” 

Regulus squeezed her hand. “We’re a mess, aren’t we?”

“A little bit,” Iset gave him a smile. “Come on, we need to send Dumbledore a message before dinner. And I should put the cup somewhere safe.”

“I’ll try a Patronus message. It’d take an owl forever to get there.” Regulus moved to the drawing-room to cast the spell. He didn’t want one of the kids in the kitchen overhearing his message.

“Expecto Patronum!” The silver fox burst out of his wand. It was much easier to do without three dementors standing in front of him. “Take a message to Professor Albus Dumbledore,” he told the fox. It sat and tilted its head, which Regulus took to mean that it was listening. He’d never really done this before. “We have the Cup. Unfortunately, we were discovered. We left behind a decoy, but there’s a good chance that the Dark Lord may know that it’s been stolen.”

The fox hopped up to its feet before streaking off in a flash of silver. It seemed to have worked. Still, if he hadn’t heard from Dumbledore by nightfall, he would try the floo network. 

Regulus made his way down to the dining room, but he stopped in the hall when he saw Kreacher standing in front of his mother’s portrait, apparently polishing the frame. Regulus could see that he was talking, though, to himself or the portrait, Regulus didn’t know. Kreacher turned away from the portrait and saw Regulus.

“Master Regulus!” he rushed forward and practically flung himself at Regulus’ feet. “Kreacher heard that the Master had gone after another one of those  _ things. _ ” The way he said ‘things’ left Regulus in no doubt that Kreacher meant Horcrux. “He didn’t even take Kreacher with him this time. Kreacher was worried.”

Regulus knelt down so that he was on the same level as Kreacher. “I’m sorry for worrying you. Last time I put you in danger, and I didn’t want to do that again if I didn’t have to.”

“Master is too kind to Kreacher!” There were tears in Kreacher’s eyes.

“Nonsense,” Regulus said. “You’ve been looking after me my whole life.” Regulus put his hand on Kreacher’s head for a moment before getting to his feet. He considered thanking Kreacher but was afraid it would send the poor elf into hysterics. So instead, he just gave him a smile before he walked away and down to the dining room.

Regulus couldn’t help but think about how the room hardly seemed to be the same place that he had grown up with. The lively chatter of Sirius, Lupin, and the kids filled up the room. It seemed to chase away the oppressive shadows of the place. Sirius appeared to be in the middle of telling a story about his time at Hogwarts. To one side, Lupin was laughing and a bit pink from embarrassment and on the other the kids were split between disbelief and amusement. 

Bill and Fleur had arrived while he was out. Glancing at his watch, Regulus saw that it was a bit after six. Regulus moved to sit across from Bill and Fleur. They were discussing something about the goblins at work. Regulus didn’t interrupt. Instead, he sat in silence and watched Sirius animatedly tell his story, which seemed to be one of the times they had tried to break into the Slytherin common rooms and nearly been caught by Filch. Regulus just hoped that he didn’t mention Iset giving him the password. 

As if his thoughts had summoned her, Iset appeared in the doorway. Her eyes swept the room until they fell on him. She smiled and started towards him. Regulus felt warmth fill his chest. He was used to being overlooked, especially when Sirius was in the room. He was familiar with the way people’s eyes seemed drawn to Sirius. Even when they were looking for Regulus, their eyes would snag on his brother. But Iset was different; her gaze slid right over Sirius to Regulus. 

“Done?” Iset asked as she sat next to him. Regulus nodded and reached out for her hand. She seemed a bit surprised but didn’t say anything. It felt odd to display even this small amount of affection. Regulus had never seen his own parents so much as hold hands, let alone embrace or kiss. But he’d seen that these people were different. Across from them, Fleur was hanging off of Bill’s arm and fiddling with his hair. And when Mr. Weasley came home, Regulus knew that Mrs. Weasley would greet him with a hug and a kiss. Part of Regulus was jealous of such easy affection.

Mrs. Weasley appeared, a large pot of stew and a fresh-baked loaf of bread were floating in front of her. Kreacher had put out the tablecloth and trivets for the food. 

“Ron, Harry,” Mrs. Weasley said. “Will you two set the table? Ginny and Hermione did it yesterday.”

Just then Mr. Weasley walked in. “Molly, dear,” he called heading towards the kitchen door. Mrs. Weasley appeared in the doorway. He leaned down to give her a kiss. “I’m afraid that I can’t stay for dinner. Some chaps in Sheffield have been enchanting dustbins to chase muggles and I’ve got to deal with it.”

Mrs. Weasley scowled, “What are people thinking these days? I'll leave you some stew.” 

Mr. Weasley headed out, and the rest of them settled down to dinner. They had just begun to tuck into their food when they heard the front door open.

“Wonder who that is?” Mrs. Weasley said, looking up. “Are you expecting anyone else?”

“Dumbledore,” Regulus and Sirius said together, then frowned at each other. Regulus sighed and set down his knife and fork. He had best go and talk to the man.

“Ask him to stay for dinner,” Mrs. Weasley called after Regulus. 

“We will,” said Iset, who was also standing up. Sirius started to get up as well, but Regulus waved for him to sit down.

“Let’s get this over with,” Regulus said to Iset as they stepped out into the hall. 


	25. Looking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunting for Horcruxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus slammed another book shut. It had been a week since they managed to escape with the cup from the Lestrange Estate, and he’d found nothing about Ravenclaw’s diadem.

“Please tell me that you are having better luck than I am?” He asked, looking across the library at Iset. The day after they’d gotten Hufflepuff’s cup, she’d disappeared to Diagon Alley and reappeared with the strange stone basin that she was currently fiddling with. 

Kreacher had found a table in one of the other rooms and brought it in. It still looked strange to Regulus. The biggest change that the library had seen in his entire life was the movement of books from the shelves to the desk. 

“It’s hard to say,” Iset said, looking up. “I don’t think we’ll know until we try, but we can test it out soon.”

“Soon?”

“In a couple of hours.”

“Oh,” Regulus gave up on his stack of books and walked over to Iset. The basin in front of her appeared to be one big piece of stone that had a shallow bowl carved out in the middle. There were runes around the edge; Iset had been working on the inscription most of the week. Her other project was sitting in a cauldron next to the stone basin. 

“What’s this?” Regulus asked, looking into the cauldron. It looked like water, except when he glanced at it out of the corner of his eye; then it seemed like colors danced on the surface. 

“It’s for scrying. You can use water, or any liquid really. However, I found this potion. It’s used for divination. The techniques for scrying and divination are the same, so it might improve scrying as well.

“The runes as well?”

“Yes.” She had put down her wand. “I started with a scrying pool and I’ve been adding spells to strengthen the potency, range, etc.”

“You’re brilliant.” Regulus leaned over the table to kiss her forehead. A faint pink flush spread across her cheeks.

“Say that if it works,” Iset said, crossing her arms.  


“When it works,” Regulus said, leaning closer to her again. “I’ll remind you how brilliant you are.” He kissed her

Iset was blushing brightly when he pulled away. She turned away, ostensibly to pick up her wand and get back to work, but he knew it was to hide the blush. 

“I’m still worried that it won't be enough,” she said. “We can’t be the first person to try and look for Ravenclaw’s diadem this way. We don’t even know what it looks like.”

“Hmm,” was all Regulus replied. He moved away to give her space to work. She was moving her wand very slowly over the stone. Lines appeared in the stone as she moved her wand. She went back over it, to deepen the carving.

“What if we don’t search for the diadem?” Regulus asked.

“What?” Iset looked up with her wand frozen over the stone.

“What if we look for pieces of the Dark Lord’s soul?” Iset’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’. “We have two of the Horcruxes. You said we need a connection. I can’t think of a stronger one.”

“Brilliant!” She said, and Regulus let her get back to work. Regulus carefully restacked the books that McGonagall had brought him. He was grateful that he didn’t need to spend more time digging through them. Though he wanted to watch what Iset was doing, he didn’t want to get in her way. So instead, he sat at the desk and dug his sketchbook out of a drawer. Instead of drawing Iset, as usual, he found himself drawing the library. The room was the size of a bedroom but several stories taller than made sense for a house the size of Grimmauld Place; Some long ago Black had used an undetectable extension charm to expand it. Bookcases lined three walls of the room and were stuffed with old leather and fabric-bound tomes. The room was a study in green and brown shadows. The rich brown wood of the desk and bookcases reflected yellow candlelight. Green plush carpet and upholstery evoked a forest when contrasted with the brown wood. He’d always enjoyed the library, but he’d never drawn it. 

“Ready for lunch?” Iset’s voice close by startled him.  


“What?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you. I was just wondering if you wanted lunch.” She leaned over the desk and looked down at his drawing. “You’re a very good artist, you know.”

“Nonsense,” he said, flipping the book shut. “It’s just a hobby.” 

Iset seemed to debate her response for a moment before she let it go. “Well, let’s have some lunch. Then we can try looking for the diadem.”

“Why don’t we do that first?” Regulus asked. He wasn’t feeling particularly hungry, and he was excited to actually get a clue as to the location of the Horcrux.

Iset shook her head. “It can be a long and tiresome process. It’s better if we eat first.”

They went down to the dining room. Mrs. Weasley had taken Harry, Hermione, and her own children to Diagon Alley for school supplies, so it was just Regulus, Iset, Sirius and Lupin. There was an awkward silence as everyone ate the sandwiches Kreacher made for them. In the silence, the room felt heavy, the way it always had. Regulus was glad to escape the room and head back up the stairs to the library when he finished eating. 

“Bring the chair over here,” Iset told him as she moved to the basin. “You took divination right?”

“Yeah, why?” He furrowed his brow.

“The process of scrying is more or less the same as looking into a crystal ball. We should try it together. Then hopefully at least one of us will see something.”

Iset set Hufflepuff’s cup on the table, carefully handling it with a handkerchief. Regulus moved so that he was standing on the opposite side of the table as Iset and watched as she poured the cauldron of liquid into the shallow basin. As the liquid settled, rainbows danced along the ripples. It was both beautiful and unsettling.

“So,” Regulus said, trying to remember his divination lessons. “We need to look at the water, uh potion, and empty our minds of everything except the cup.”

“Not the cup, the piece of soul attached to the cup,” Iset corrected. “We may end up having to hold the cup and the locket.”

“Let’s hope not,” Regulus said. He could practically feel the malice coming off of the items. The last thing he wanted was prolonged contact with them. Regulus focused on the cup, and on the malevolence that it exuded. 

“It’s horrible,” Iset whispered, “that much darkness coming from a bit of someone’s soul.”

Regulus nodded, afraid that if he spoke, he’d release his focus. It was hard to focus; it was as if the soul was oil, black and slipping out of his grasp. He moved his eyes from the cup to the water. There was nothing, not even the rainbows that he’d seen earlier. Frustration was rising. He kept focusing on the cup, the bit of the soul inside, and it was making his skin crawl.

“Merlin, save me!” Regulus exclaimed, turning away from the pool. His head was starting to hurt. 

“Nothing?” Iset asked.

“No,” Regulus knew that he sounded irritated. Iset instinctively leaned away from him ever so slightly, but Regulus noticed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not upset with you.”:

“I know,” she said, offering him a small smile. “I told you this was going to be tricky. If it works. Let’s take a five-minute break and try again.”

So Regulus sat in the chair that Iset had told him to bring over. He put his head in his hands. He heard the soft rustle of Iset’s dress as she moved towards him. He felt her perch on the side of his chair and reached out to put an arm around her waist as if to steady her. Her fingers settled on his hair, and he felt tension draining from his muscles as she ran them through his hair. Deftly, she moved shoulder-length strands out of his face, smoothing them out. He looks up at her. Her eyes are soft, and her braid has fallen over her shoulder. Not a single strand of black hair has escaped the braid.

“You never wear your hair down,” he said. He remembered lying with her in the bed and the way her hair felt like silk between his hands. 

“It gets in the way of everything,” Iset told him, even though he hadn’t voiced his question. Regulus just nodded and leaned into her hand, which had stilled on his head. 

“I’m glad you are here, with me, I mean,” Regulus said. “I couldn’t do all this without you.”

“You could,” Iset said and Regulus was surprised by the confidence in her voice. “But I’m glad we are here together. I’m glad you don’t have to do things alone this time.” 

They sat in silence for several minutes until Regulus groaned and let go of Iset. “We should try again.

They took up positions on opposite sides of the scrying pool again. Regulus looked at the cup, trying to focus again. After several moments, he moved his gaze to the pool. An image skated across the surface and he gasped, he tried to focus on the image, but that made him lose focus on the cup and the image vanished as quickly as it appeared

“Merlin,” he looked up at the ceiling. “I remember why I hated divination so much.”

Iset just nodded. Regulus wondered if she had seen the image too. He’d probably just broken her focus. “I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “I didn’t mean to distract you.

“I wasn’t having any luck anyway. Maybe we should get the locket too?” Regulus groaned but nodded. So far, he had avoided being in the same room as both of the Horcruxes at the same time. He didn’t relish the idea of having so much dark magic in one place, but it would probably improve their chances of success. They needed to succeed.  


“I’ll be back,” Regulus said, quickly crossing the room and going out to the hall. He made his way to his father’s study, where he had been keeping the Horcrux. Opening the door always made him tense. There was nothing but bad memories in this room. Orion had been a cold and exacting man. Though quiet, where his wife was loud, he was no less cold and no less cruel. The back shelf of the room was decorated with various cursed objects, and Regulus gave them a dark look. The room was stuffy and covered in dust. The carpet even puffed up dust as he walked and he had to fight back a sneeze. Opening the desk, he grabbed the locket with his handkerchief and headed back out. He was glad to close the door behind him. It was a short journey back to the library, where he lay the locket on the table, opposite the cup. 

“Ready to try this again?” He asked, trying to put more enthusiasm into his voice than he felt. 

Iset nodded. He noticed the determined set of her jaw and knew they were going to be here until this worked. He really hoped it happened sooner rather than later. It was easier to focus on the menacing, slimy sensation coming from the Horcruxes now that there were two of them. It made Regulus’ skin crawl. 

When Regulus turned his gaze to the potion, he saw something rippling on the surface. It didn’t quite form into an image. Frustration started to rise, but Regulus bared down on his focus on the Horcruxes. Colors swirled and danced on the potion’s surface until they formed an image.

_ A pale, snake-like man was walking down a dimly lit hallway. The carpet looked expensive. There was a massive snake slithering down by his feet. _

The image of the Dark Lord faded and Regulus’ focus broke as triumph filled him. It worked. But now he had lost his focus and had to start over again. It was easier this time.

_ The summer sun was shining down on a bustling street. Witches and wizards in a mix of robes and muggle clothes moved up and down Diagon Alley. A boy with messy black hair and glasses was standing in front of Quality Quidditch supplies with a redheaded boy. A dark-skinned girl with messy brown hair was pulling on their sleeves, saying something.  
_

The image broke and swirled and a new one formed.

_ Hogwarts. The trees of the forest swayed in a gentle breeze and the lake sparkled under the sun. The grounds were empty of students. _

The image seemed to ripple and run until the colors came together to form another image.

_ A snake’s face. Green scales flickered in candle or torchlight. Opening its mouth, the snake revealed large fangs. _

A new image.

_ Diagon Alley again. Outside Florien Fortesque’s ice cream parlor. The messy-haired boy pushed his bangs down to cover the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. His eyes were on the different ice cream flavors, and his hand was in his pocket. _

_ The pale man was standing by a window now. His horrible red eyes are fixed outside the window. The sunlight came through the window, but it did not flatter him. Even in the golden light, he looked cold. _

_ The gates of Hogwarts stood tall and proud. Iron points pierced into the sky. The road leading to them was empty.  _

_ The boy again. He was holding a cone stacked precariously with different types of ice cream. He was laughing as his friend tried to balance his own overstuffed cone. _

_ Green scales turned emerald under the summer sun. The snake seeked out the pool of sunlight on the marble floor. It curled up on itself, tongue flicking lazily. _

_ The quidditch stands stood tall but empty. Red and gold, green and silver, blue and bronze, yellow and black, the colors were proud and bold in the sun. The wind rippled the grass of the field.  _

The last image faded and Regulus shook his head as if to clear it. He brought each scene to his mind, trying to commit them to memory. His head was starting to ache, and he fell into the chair. Soon Iset was there too. She moved to sit on the floor, but that seemed wrong. Regulus caught her, motioning that she could sit on his lap. She did, and she leaned against him.

“Does your head hurt as badly as mine does?” she asked him. 


	26. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discussing horcruxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

A pot of tea and a plate of biscuits later, both Regulus and Iset were starting to feel better. Kreacher whisked away the Horcruxes after serving tea. Regulus could breathe easier without the Horcruxes in the room. He still hadn’t moved from the chair, and Iset hadn’t moved from his lap. The weight was growing heavy, but he wasn’t about to say anything. 

Iset groaned and stood up. “We should write things down so we don’t forget them.” She said, already moving towards the desk. 

Regulus groaned, but got to his feet. He pulled out his wand and levitated the chair behind him towards the desk. All he really wanted right then was a nap, but Iset had a point. He was planning on letting Iset have the chair, but she had hopped up onto the desk by the time he got there. 

Together they managed to put the things they had seen into four categories: Hogwarts, the Dark Lord, the Dark Lord’s snake, and Harry Potter. 

The Dark Lord made sense, as it was his soul they had been looking for. As for Hogwarts, they figured the diadem must be there. Hogwarts was steeped in magical protections that were likely blocking them from getting any closer. The snake was a bit confusing; could animals be Horcruxes? But Harry Potter was completely baffling. What did Harry Potter have to do with the Dark Lord’s soul?

“Whatever it is,” Regulus said to Iset, “we cannot tell Sirius about it. He’ll run off and do something crazy. We shouldn’t even mention seeing Harry.” 

“I agree. What do we do? Should we tell Dumbledore everything? Should we try and figure out if animals can be Horcruxes? And,” she said very quietly. “If animals can be Horcruxes, can people?”

Regulus felt sick. He knew that was the logical conclusion to what they had seen, but it didn’t feel right: something as dark as the soul of the Dark Lord latching onto a kid. 

“I would like to have all the information before we go to Dumbledore,” Regulus said. He didn’t trust Dumbledore, not really. Dumbledore had recruited students just as much as the Dark Lord had. Regulus’ conscience wouldn't let him tell someone in charge of a war that a kid might be a Horcrux. Regulus had seen enough kids die. 

Iset nodded, accepting his judgment. “We can tell him that we think the diadem is in Hogwarts. But Hogwarts is huge. How will we find it?”

“It’s certainly something to think on, and we can ask Sirius. He seems stupid, but he’s not. Besides, he and those idiot friends of his, explored more of Hogwarts than anyone else I know. He might have an idea as to where the diadem might be.”

Iset nodded. “We’ll also need to do more research on really, really dark magic. I’m not even sure where to look for books like that. We can’t use the Hogwarts library without asking Dumbledore.”

“There might be something here,” Regulus said slowly. “I found Horcruxes mentioned in this library in the first place.” He paused, eyes drifting around the room, taking in the bookshelves. “I guess there’s an upside to having a family obsessed with dark magic.”

“I doubt we will find a book about experimenting with different types of Horcruxes,” Iset mused. “I doubt such a book could even exist. We’ll probably have to review the spell and the theory behind it and decide that way.”

“You’re probably right,” he said. “But let's start later. I need a break.”

“A break sounds good.” She turned to look at the clock. Somehow, hours had passed while they were busy. “Let’s send Dumbledore a letter, and ask Sirius about where in Hogwarts one might hide something as important as a Horcrux.”

What Regulus really wanted to do was lie down for a bit, but these things needed to be done. He pulled a fresh scroll of parchment out of the desk and picked up his quill. 

_ Professor Dumbledore, _

__ _ There is one inside Hogwarts, _

_ R. A. B. _

He folded it up and pulled out an envelope. After tucking it away, he pulled over a candle and wax. Normally, he didn’t bother sealing letters, but it felt like the correct thing to do when communicating with Dumbledore. He pressed the signet ring into the black wax and waved his hand over it to help it cool. 

“I gave Mrs. Weasley money to get an owl,” Regulus said. “We can send this when they get back.”

Iset slid off of the desk and offered him a hand, helping him to his feet. They made their way down the stairs, and Regulus realized that he wasn’t sure exactly where to look for his brother. Where did Sirius spend his time? Regulus stuck his head in the sitting room as they passed, just in case. He didn’t expect Sirius to be in there, and he wasn’t. 

As Regulus started to walk away he heard the rush of air that announced someone arriving by floo powder in the room behind him. It seemed that Mrs. Weasley and the kids were back. He supposed that the stores would be closing soon anyway. He stopped and turned back to the room, opening the door and sticking his head in.

The Weasley girl and Granger were standing on the carpet. Regulus stepped into the room and waited while Potter and Ron Weasley arrived. Then, Mrs. Weasley came through the floo.

“Why are you all just standing here,” she said to the kids, in her characteristic mix of sternness and affection. “Get those packages upstairs and get washed up. Dinner will be on the table faster if you help me.”

Regulus stepped aside so that the four kids could troop past him into the hallway and up the stairs. Their steps were heavy and the old floorboards squeaked. Regulus repressed a wince; his mother would have screamed at them for walking like elephants. 

“Do you need any help?” Regulus asked Mrs. Weasley.

“Oh hello dear,” she said smiling at him. She held out a cage with a large grey horned owl. “I’m fine. Here is the owl. I can get you the change later.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Regulus said, taking the owl’s cage. “You’ve been doing so much for us, I’m not going to sweat a few knuts.” He knew that it was quite probably more than that, but he also knew that the money was much more important to the Weasley’s then it was to him.

“Oh, well,” Mrs. Weasley said, her cheeks turning pink. “That’s very kind of you. I’ll just get to dinner. I’m afraid it’ll be a bit late today.”

“No problem, take your time,” Regulus said, stepping out of the way so Mrs. Weasley could head out of the room. Regulus walked behind her. 

“I’ll send the letter,” Iset said. “You try and find Sirius.” Regulus resisted the urge to protest. He’d much rather send a letter than talk to Sirius, but that was juvenile and he knew it. So instead he nodded and turned back towards the dining room. Luckily, Sirius was there with Lupin and a bottle of firewhiskey. They’d been speaking quietly when he entered but fell into silence as they looked up.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Regulus said. “But we could use your help.” 

“My help?” Sirius asked. 

“That’s what I said,” Regulus moved around the table to take a place across from Sirius. After glancing around to make sure that no one else was in the room, he said quietly, “There’s a Horcrux in Hogwarts.”

“In Hogwarts?” Lupin asked, eyes going wide. Regulus nodded.

“Where?” Sirius leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table. 

“I don’t know. That’s why I need your help. You two know Hogwarts better than anyone else I can think of.” 

A small bit of pride appeared on Sirius’ face, and he gave Lupin a conspiratorial look. Lupin was drumming his fingers on the table. “There are a lot of places to hide things in Hogwarts.”

“Not just a place to hide things,” Regulus said. “The best place. Somewhere that no one would ever find it.”

“I’ll have to think about it,” Sirius said, propping his head on his hands. “What do you think, Remus? You’ve been to the castle more recently than I have.”

“I wasn’t exactly exploring Hogwarts while I was there,” Lupin said with a smile.

“Talking about exploring Hogwarts?” A voice came from the door and everyone at the table looked up. The Weasley twins were standing there. They came into the room and sat in the chairs next to Sirius.

“Not to brag,” said the other twin. Regulus thought it was Fred.

“But we know Hogwarts pretty well,” George said.

“Alright then,” Regulus said, thinking quickly. “If you wanted to hide something in Hogwarts so that no one could ever find it, where would you hide it?”

“Great question!” said Fred, leaning back in his chair. “George?”

“I wish we had the map,” George said.

“The map?” asked Sirius.

“The Marauder’s Map,” Fred clarified. “It-”

“Is a map of the entire school, we know.” Sirius interrupted him.

“You know about the Marauder’s Map?” George asked, leaning forward in interest.

Regulus let out a laugh and the other four turned to him. “You made a map and called it ‘the Marauder’s Map’?”

“What else were we supposed to call it?” Sirius sounded genuinely offended.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Fred said George was staring at them with his mouth partly open. “You guys  _ made _ the Marauder’s Map?”

Sirius looked proud, but Lupin had gone a bit pink. Rubbing the back of his neck, Lupin said, “yes, we did, back while we were in school.”

George reached out and grabbed Lupin’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “It is an honor, an absolute honor.”

Fred grabbed Sirius’ hand in a similar fashion. “That map is an absolute wonder.”

Just then, Iset walked into the room and was giving Fred and George a confused look. Regulus looked up and saw her. 

“Sirius and Lupin have a fan club apparently,” Regulus told her.


	27. Horcruxes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Destroying the Horcruxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Weeks later, Regulus sat in Dumbledore’s office. The chair he was in was comfortable, but he couldn’t relax. Instead, he was on the edge of his seat, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and head in his hands. On the other side of the desk, Dumbledore sat. Between them, the locket and the cup sat. Regulus could feel their presence despite the fact that they were wrapped in black cloth. 

“You sent a bunch of kids into the Chamber of Secrets to get basilisk fangs?” Regulus’ eyes were fixed on the professor.

“They are not so very much younger than yourself, Regulus.

“It’s not the same and you know it. I’m already entrenched in this war. I’ve already  _ died _ for this war. I haven’t been a child since,” he stalled out.

“Since you were their age?” Dumbledore asked. 

“Yes. That is too young to be involved in wars.”

“Harry has been fighting Voldemort since his first year here. Harry is the one who killed the basilisk in the chamber. All I’ve asked is that they retrieve a few fangs, and it was Mr. Weasley’s idea, actually. Much more may be demanded of Harry before this is over.” 

Regulus’ icy blue eyes narrowed. Despite all the planning that the Order had been doing, Dumbledore had not been explicit about Potter’s role in the plan. Regulus didn’t trust it. As soon as they had the Horcruxes, the action would begin, and Regulus was uncomfortable with such a gap in the plan. Still, he had to destroy the Horcruxes; that was non-negotiable. 

“It’s hardly Potter’s fault that he hasn’t been kept safe.” Regulus watched Dumbledore’s face for a reaction, guilt perhaps. He saw only a hint of sorrow.

“I know that you don’t trust me,” Dumbledore said.

“Should I?” Regulus asked.

“Trust is a complicated thing, Mr. Black, as you well know. You can trust that it is my utmost desire to put an end to Voldemort and his ideology. However, war requires sacrifices and necessitates bad decisions. I cannot guarantee that my methods will always align with your ideas.”

“You are being very honest.”

“You are not a fool, Mr. Black, and treating you as one would only alienate you. That is something I cannot afford to do.”

They regarded each other in silence for several minutes. The only sound in the room came from the silver instruments in the room that whirred and occasionally emitted puffs of smoke. 

“Tell me, then.” Regulus finally said into the silence. “How do you think Potter and the Dark Lord are connected.”

“Connected?” 

“Sirius told me that Potter had dreams of the Dark Lord, that the battle in the Department of Mysteries was caused by the Dark Lord manipulating this connection.” Regulus and Iset had not revealed to anyone their fear that Potter was a Horcrux. Iset had been searching for ways to separate the Dark Lord’s soul from the boy but had not yet been successful, and Regulus was coming to think that the only solution might be Potter’s death. 

“It is difficult to say,” Dumbledore said. He got to his feet and walked to the window. Regulus watched him closely. “No one knows for certain what happened the day that Tom killed Harry’s parents. The sacrifice Lily Potter made that day activated old and powerful magic, magic that would have killed anyone else, but Tom’s Horcruxes kept him alive. I have not found documentation of another moment in history where a man was reduced entirely to his soul. There is no documentation of anyone using Horcruxes at all.”

“But you have ideas,” Regulus said, and it wasn’t a question.

“I have many ideas,” Dumbledore said. “And I suspect that you have one or two of your own. When you used that scrying pool that Iset so cleverly enchanted, you saw Harry, did you not?”

For a long moment, Regulus did not respond. “And what if we did?”

“I would not be surprised,” Dumbledore said, turning away from the window to face Regulus once again. “Tom’s soul has become fragile from being torn so many times. I believe that when the killing curse rebounded on him, a piece of his soul latched on to the only living thing in the room, Harry himself.”

Regulus considered this. It was, unfortunately, completely plausible. “What are you going to do about that particular Horcrux?”

Dumbledore’s blue gaze was piercing as he considered Regulus. “Over the last few weeks, I have been explaining Tom’s past and the existence of the Horcruxes to Harry. I had intended to take more time with the matter, but you have been remarkably efficient in locating the Horcruxes.

“I have nothing else to do until the Dark Lord is gone.” He did not mention the promise that he had made to Narcissa. “You haven’t answered my question.”

“After you leave this office, I will explain the situation to Harry.”

“And what if he disagrees?”

“He won’t,” Dumbledore sounded almost sad. “His heart is entirely too kind and generous. He would never stand by and let others suffer.”

Regulus studied Dumbledore’s face as silence fell again. Regulus didn’t know Potter well enough to evaluate Dumbledore’s statement. However, he was familiar with several idiot Gryffindors who had been all too happy to throw themselves in harm's way to fight the Dark Lord.

The sound of someone knocking on the door broke the silence. 

“Come in,” Dumbledore called as Regulus straightened himself up into a proper sitting position. Looking at the door, he saw that Sirius and Lupin had returned. Lupin had the Marauder’s Map in his hand and Sirius had a bag, hopefully with the diadem,

“Well?” Regulus asked.

“Got it,” Sirius said with a smirk. He looked at Lupin and the smirk melted into a real smile. “Worked just like he proposed. The map took us straight to the diadem.”

“That map is a marvelous piece of spellwork,” Dumbledore said. “I have always admired it, despite the problems it caused for my staff.”

“May I take the map?” Regulus asked. 

“Looking for someone?” Sirius asked, but Lupin passed the map to Regulus.

“Yes,” Regulus said. “You when I’m done with the Horcruxes.” Sirius made a face that said ‘fair enough’ and moved to Dumbledore’s desk. He dropped the bag containing the diadem next to the other Horcruxes on the desk. 

Regulus got to his feet. “I guess it's my turn now,” he said. He opened the bag with the diadem and put the cup and the locket into it. Then Dumbledore handed him a box; Regulus knew there were basilisk fangs inside. He didn’t open the box. He had retreated as far as the door when he heard Sirius.

“Oi,” he called. “Be careful.”

Regulus rolled his eyes. “I always am.” 

Class must have been in session because the hallways were empty. He was grateful for that; he had no desire to interact with curious students. He traced the familiar way through the castle and down to the dungeons. He paused for an instant in front of the entrance to the Slytherin common room. It was still odd to think that he would never again be living there; it had been his home for so many years. But now was not the time to be sentimental, so he continued on his way to the abandoned dungeon they were going to use.

He knew it was the right one because Iset was standing outside of it. The door to the dungeon was open and the air in the doorway rippled with silver mist. Regulus eyed it warily.

“I assume they found it,” Iset said, giving a dark look to the bag in his hand.

“Yes indeed,” Regulus said. 

“Well.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

Regulus started to walk into the room, but paused before he touched the silvery barrier. “You’re sure this is safe?”

“Of course,” she said, stepping around him and through it. “It’s designed to keep dark magic in, not to keep people out.”

Regulus moved into the room. It was empty except for a table in the middle. Quickly, he moved across the room and put the Horcruxes and the box on the table. He removed the Horcruxes from the bag and their wraps. 

“It’s sad,” Iset said. She was standing by the door, which she had closed. The silver lines were now moving up and down the wood grain. Bright silver runes also covered the door frame. 

“What?” 

“Each of those objects is a nearly priceless treasure.” She gestured to the table. The firelight from the wall sconces danced in the metal on the table. The diadem glittered silver and blue between the golden shine of the locket and the cup. “And they are going to be completely destroyed.”

“I hadn’t thought about it.” He was opening the box with the basilisk fangs. There were three, one for each Horcrux. They weren’t taking any chances. “Nothing we can do though.”

Regulus glanced behind him; Iset had her wand out. Her job was to stop whatever dark magic came out of the Horcruxes from escaping the room. And to destroy them if something happened to Regulus. 

“Are you ready?” He asked her.

“I should be asking you that.” She smiled at him, but he could see the worry in her eyes. 

For a moment, he thought about saying something like ‘it’ll be fine’. But he didn’t know that. They had no idea what the Horcruxes could do to defend themselves. Instead, he gave her a nod filled with as much confidence as he could manage. 

Carefully, avoiding the tip, he picked up the first basilisk fang. First, the locket. He swung his arm down, the basilisk fang dug into the soft metal of the locket. To Regulus’ surprise, it popped open. 

“Regulus Black,” a voice hissed. “Always in your brother’s shadow. Even now, following in his footsteps. You were always the spare son, the backup.”

Regulus’ hands were growing white-knuckled on the basilisk fang. He had to destroy the Horcrux, but he found himself pausing. It was as if the voice had some magic behind it. 

An image began to form in Regulus’ mind; his parents with Sirius. Except Sirius was wearing Slytherin green. He was just as stupid and as handsome as he had been before he went to Azkaban.

“They never wanted you, why would they?” the voice said. 

“You were a useless son. You abandoned us in the end.” The portrait of his father said. The disappointed look in those cold black eyes was horribly familiar. Regulus’ blood was going cold.

“Regulus!” Iset’s voice broke through the fog. Regulus bit his lip and swung the basilisk fang down a second time. It hit the metal and the voice changed to a horrible shriek. Dropping the fang, Regulus took several instinctive steps back. He took a deep, steadying breath. He couldn’t stop now. Striding forward again, Regulus grabbed the next basilisk fang. 

The diadem just lay there. Regulus gritted his teeth and swung down. The basilisk fang sank into the silver, more than it should have been able too. An instant later, Regulus found himself in the air, blasted away from the table. He slammed into the ground and all the breath went out of him, then his head smacked down and the world went black. 


	28. Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Voldemort realizes some of his Horcruxes have been destroyed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Narcissa sat alone on the balcony outside of her bedroom. A large grey owl was sitting on the marble railing. Carefully, she took the letter from its talons and turned it over. There was no seal on the envelope this time, but she recognized Regulus’ handwriting. Standing up, Narcissa closed the curtains to the bedroom after double-checking that the room was empty and the door was shut. 

Opening the letter, she was greeted with a blank note, so she took out her wand and tapped the paper. Fluid writing spread across the page, but the message was short.

_Cissy,_

_Things will change soon. Stay close to your sister until it happens. After that, move away. Be ready._

_R.A.B._

Narcissa read the letter twice and then tapped it with her wand to make the page blank again. Using her wand, she lit the letter on fire. She held it in one hand as the fire curled up the page until it became too hot. Then, she dropped it over the edge of the balcony and watched the ash drift away on the wind. 

Stepping back into her bedroom, she went to her vanity and checked her makeup. Taking a steadying breath, she smoothed out her skirt and headed into the house. Her heels clicked on marble floors as she moved towards the smaller dining room, which had been converted to the Dark Lord’s meeting room. Bellatrix would be there. She was almost to the room when she spotted one of the house-elves scurrying down the hallway.

“You,” she said. The elf froze and turned towards her, dropping into a bow. “Bring me a bottle of the 1982 Left Bank Bordeaux.”

“Yes, mistress.” The elf scurried off and Narcissa continued her walk towards the smaller dining room. When she pushed open the door, she found Bella and a handful of others in the room with the Dark Lord. 

Narcissa offered the Dark Lord a curtsey and he nodded to her. Narcissa moved to sit beside her sister.

“Now,” the Dark Lord continued his speech. “Yaxley, tell me how goes the infiltration of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Our companions languish in Azkaban. I would like to remedy this situation.”

So Narcissa sat and listened to nearly ten minutes of Yaxley attempting to explain his usefulness to the Dark Lord. The elf brought the wine, but it didn’t make the discussion any less boring. Still, Narcissa had been attending boring social engagements since she could walk. It was easy for her to sit with a glass of wine in hand and pretend to follow the conversation. A long discussion followed including those who were familiar with the ministry and those, like Bella, who had been involved in the first break out. It sounded to Narcissa like they were nowhere near being able to break out those who had been arrested.

The discussions passed for hours. Lunchtime came, and the house-elves brought lunch. Several people came and left, but Narcissa wasn’t keeping track. She had no control over who came into or out of her house anymore. The dining room was dark, and Narcissa longed to take a walk in the gardens. But she would stay here until it happened, whatever it was. 

When Fenrir Greyback came in to speak to the Dark Lord, Narcissa couldn’t even look at the man. He was filthy and having him in her house made her skin crawl. She was just glad that Draco was far away at Hogwarts. She was aware of Greyback’s propensity for children.

Then it happened, the Dark Lord let out a startled sound like a gasp. The entire room fell silent and all eyes turned to him. He doubled over, clutching his chest. A pained groan exited his mouth and his hand slammed down on the table.

“Master!” Bella cried, rushing towards him. “Master, what is it?”

When the Dark Lord did not immediately respond, she spun around, searching the room for threats. The Dark Lord pushed himself to his feet, his hand was gripping the table tightly, long white fingers straining. 

“No.” He slammed his fist down onto the table. “No!”

The Dark Lord pushed himself up so that he was standing properly. There was sweat on his forehead, and his face was twisted with rage. What had just happened?

“How dare they.” 

Narcissa leaned back at the anger in his face. Her heartbeat actually picked up a few notches. Most of the other people around the table were leaning back. Several had gone pale. Only Bella remained unafraid; her face was a mask of worry and not of fear.

“Bellatrix!”

“Yes, my lord,” Bella rushed forward.

“The object I entrusted to you. Is it safe?” 

“Yes, my lord! We’ve had someone on watch in the building every single day. The gate can’t be opened by anyone except for me and no one has tried to breach the wards.”

The room was silent for several long moments. No one, not even Bella, was willing to speak. So they waited. 

“The plan will need to be moved up. Get me Severus,” he snarled. There was a rush of noise as people rushed to agree with him, or get up and go for Snape.

“I will fetch him personally, My Lord,” Rosier Snr. said, getting to his feet. “As a governor of Hogwarts School, I have access to the grounds. However, I doubt he will return with me until after dinner. He is under Dumbledore’s eye.”

“Fine,” the Dark Lord snarled. “Tell him. Tell him that he will bring me Potter.”

Rosier bowed. Whatever he was feeling, his face was a mask of calm. She was holding her calm mask tightly. Some people around the table had managed to collect their composure, but several seemed to only be becoming more worried. Part of Narcissa wanted to give them a good slap and tell them to get it together.

“My lord,” Bella said, edging closer to him. “Are you alright?”

“I am fine, Bella.” He said, motioning for her to sit down. She sat. The Dark Lord turned to address them all. “Our enemies have grown bold. It has become absolutely imperative that we obtain Potter as soon as possible.”

“My lord,” Narcissa said, bowing her head in deference. “Do you intend to bring the Potter boy here?”

“And what if I do, Narcissa?”

“The house is entirely at your disposal, of course, My Lord. It is only that if Dumbledore is keeping a close eye on the boy, he will grow suspicious if Severus attempts to disapparate with the boy. He may step in.”

The Dark Lord turned his complete attention to Narcissa. Her face was a perfect mask of polite calm. There was no trace of guilt or deception anywhere in her visage. 

“My sister has a point, My Lord,” Bella said. “Perhaps if we moved into the forbidden forest. Severus can bring the boy directly to us.”

Nagini appeared by the Dark Lord’s side. Her tongue flickered in and out as she moved around him, her head tilted in what looked like concern. The Dark Lord reached out one hand to stroke the snake's head. 

“I shall consider your ideas,” he said. “However, we have much to prepare.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note:
> 
> Bella is not lying. I believe that the two who were in the house would have woken up without a memory and decided not to say anything to spare themselves the wrath of the Dark Lord.


	29. Onward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the action begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: violence
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

When he first blinked himself awake, Regulus was confused. The ceiling above him wasn’t his bedroom and it wasn’t his dorm room. And the sunlight coming through the windows was evening light, not morning.

“You’re awake!” He turned, and saw that Iset was sitting in the chair by his bed. Relief was written plainly across her face. He remembered then: the Horcrux.

“What happened?”

“The diadem exploded,” Iset said. “It blasted you back and you must have hit your head. I couldn’t wake you up, so I destroyed the cup. Then I brought you here.”

Regulus groaned. “Are you okay? What happened with the last one?”

“I’m fine.” There was a pause. “It screamed.” A tiny shudder went through her. 

“It screamed?” 

“Like it was dying. No, like many people were dying.” Regulus reached out and grasped her hand. He’d heard enough dying screams to last him a lifetime. But now wasn’t the time for this.

“What time is it?” He asked and sat up as quickly as he could. He gratefully noticed that nothing hurt. 

“It’s almost six.”

“Damn, damn,” Regulus said. “Where is everyone?” He asked as he reached for the Marauder’s Map. It would only be helpful if they were still at Hogwarts.

“I think they went to the forbidden forest,” Iset said. She kept her voice low and looked around at the occupied beds. “We should talk outside.”

Regulus just nodded and started walking towards the doors. Iset grabbed their cloaks and rushed after him.

“Mr. Black!” Regulus paused as he heard his name. He looked over his shoulder to see Madam Pomfrey. “I don’t want to see you back here any time soon, you understand?”

“Yes, Madam Pomfrey.” He felt like fifteen years old again, when Sirius had knocked Regulus off his broom with a bludger during a match. He ducked his head and turned back towards the door. He strode down the hallway until he found an alcove. He stopped.

“Stupid long legs,” Iset muttered as she caught up to him. Regulus chuckled as he pulled out the map. Luckily the map included much of the forbidden forest that was not technically Hogwarts grounds. There was a cluster of names nearly at the edge of the forest. Regulus resisted the urge to groan again. They would have to get across the forbidden forest somehow; without Dumbledore or Hagrid to aid then. He studied the map in closer detail. He could see the concentrated group of Death Eaters and the names of Order members scattered around. He hunted the map for Potter’s name or Dumbledore’s. He found them moving through the forest. Regulus swore quietly, they didn’t have much time. 

“They are already on the other side of the forest,” Regulus said.

“I’ve been thinking on that,” Iset said. “We need to get off of Hogwarts grounds and then we can apparate to here,” she pointed to a spot on the map close to Hogsmeade Village and the Forest. “I’ve been there before. We’ll have to trek the rest of the way. But it’s better than hiking through the body of the forest.”

Regulus nodded. “Smart, let’s do that.” He tucked the map away and started towards the main doors. They might be spotted by students, but he wasn’t going to try and figure out one of the secret passages on the map right then. When they reached the entrance hall the sound and smell of dinner wafted from the Great Hall. Despite everything, Regulus smiled. He missed dinner in the Great Hall. To his surprise, McGonagall was standing outside of the doors to the Great Hall.

“You two,” she said. Her strict tone was no different than it would have been if they were students. “We’ll be sending the students to their common rooms and locking down the school. You won't be able to get back in.”

“Good,” Regulus said automatically. Draco would be safe inside the school. So would any other kids in a similar situation. He was about to keep going, but he paused. “Professor.”

“No need to call me professor, Mr. Black. You aren’t a student anymore.”

“McGonagall,” he said. “Can you do me a favor? Make sure Malfoy is safe in his dorm.”

“I assure you, Mr. Black, that I intend to ensure the safety of every single one of the students in my care. No matter who their parents may be.”

Regulus gave her a nod and turned back towards the doors. McGonagall had not been his Head of House, but that didn’t mean that he mistrusted her. If McGonagall said she would do something, then she would do it. Iset passed him his cloak and he put it on, pulling the hood up over his head.

They crossed the grounds as quickly as they could. It still seemed to take far too long. For the first time, Regulus was frustrated by just how large the grounds were. They eventually made it to the gates and out onto the road beyond. 

“You take us,” Regulus said, reaching out to take her hand. “That way we end up in the same place.”

A second later Iset apparated, pulling him along with her. Then they were standing on the grass between the forbidden forest and Hogsmeade Village. Regulus didn’t even glance at the village, he just pulled out the map and started moving towards the woods. 

They moved through the forest without talking. The only sounds were the snapping of twigs and branches, and their breathing. The light was turning green as the trees overhead grew closer and closer together. Regulus kept the map in his hand, and they slowly worked their way closer. The footing grew trickier. He kept cursing himself. How could he have let himself get knocked out for hours? Eventually, they came close enough that Regulus raised his hand for them to stop. Iset moved closer to him, and he showed her the map.

First, he saw the cluster of Death Eaters. Looking around them, he checked to see if the Order members were following the plan. He could see Shaklebolt and Moody close to the ring of Death Eaters. Dumbledore had chosen members he trusted to keep a cool head to help kill the Dark Lord’s Snake. The other Order members were further away in the woods. He could also see a smattering of Death Eaters around; probably to keep a lookout. Regulus ran his finger over the map trying to find his brother’s name. Sirius had been told to stay away from the main body of the Death eaters until after the signal, but Regulus didn’t trust him to listen. Regulus stomach twisted uncomfortably. Was that guilt? Sirius would never allow Potter to sacrifice himself; he’d get himself killed trying to stop them. That didn’t ease Regulus’ discomfort. 

But Regulus didn’t have time for contemplation right now. He’d have to hope Sirius did as he was told; it was a feeble hope, but it was all he had. He needed to hurry. Instead, he hunted down Narcissa’s name. Eventually, he found her, several feet back from the rest of the group. He pointed to where Narcissa’s name was on the map to Iset before they began to move. They moved more quietly now. However, the forest was so dense here that it was difficult. They began to approach the place where Regulus had noticed Goyle on guard.    


Regulus held his wand in his hand and moved as close as he could to Goyle. It wasn’t hard to stay in the dark shadows under the trees. 

“Oi, who’s there.” There was no mistaking that voice. 

“Shut it,” Regulus said, making his voice gruffer. “There are Order members around. Are you trying to get caught?”

“Right,” Goyle said and then, “wait.”

Making sure that his face was hidden in his hood, Regulus stepped forward and flashed the dark mark on his forearm. Goyle stepped aside and let him pass. Really, Regulus was lucky that Goyle wasn’t smart enough to walk and talk at the same time. Regulus walked several feet into the woods before turning and hitting him in the back with Stupefy and binding him with Incarcerous. It was far more merciful than what he would have been expected to do as a Death Eater. 

Regulus quickly pulled out the map to check Narcissa’s position. She’d moved and Regulus had to circle back past Goyle. She had her hood down and he spotted her by the sunlight bouncing off the white-blonde hair. Regulus edged closer. He could see how the trees thinned ahead of her. That must be the clearing where the Dark Lord was waiting.

“Cissy,” he hissed. She turned towards him. Regulus lunged closer and put his hand over her mouth, catching her wand hand with his other hand. She jerked against his hold. “It’s Regulus. Got it?”

She nodded and Regulus released her wand hand and dropped his hand from her mouth. He motioned for her to follow him. She hesitated. It gave Regulus a moment to remember the letter in his pocket. He stuck it to the tree with a spell. Then he grabbed Narcissa, who’s eyes were flickering between him and the place where the rest of the Death Eaters were. 

“Hurry up,” he whispered. 

“What are you doing?” She hissed.

“Later.” Regulus looked around again. Another Death Eater could find them or Goyle at any minute. This time when he tugged on her hand, she came with him. Regulus carefully picked his way around Goyle and back to Iset. 

“What is this, Regulus?” Narcissa asked when they were a safe distance away. The forest muffled the sound of their voices, stopping them from carrying.

“I’m keeping you and your son safe,” Regulus said. “Draco is in the school. He should be locked in the Slytherin common room by now. The Order and the aurors are about to descend on this place. You need to get out of here if you want to be there for him when this is all over.”

“And what if you fail?”

“I left the letter, written by Sirius, to make it clear that Sirius kidnapped you in retaliation for Bella almost killing him.” Regulus grinned. “I think her dislike of Sirius is strong enough she won't question it.” 

Narcissa bit her lip. He could tell that she wasn’t entirely convinced, and he didn’t have a lot of time to persuade her. 

“Narcissa, Dumbledore himself is over there with the Dark Lord right now. They’re making a stand. This is your chance. Go with Iset, or Draco is going to have two parents in Azkaban.”

“Come on,” Iset said. She had pulled down her hood so that Narcissa could see her better. When she spoke, her voice was firm and brooked no arguments. “Regulus has been risking his life to make sure your son doesn’t die as he did. We are getting out of here before the fighting begins.

“We’re just leaving?” Narcissa asks. Regulus can’t blame her. The idea of leaving the Death Eaters wasn’t something that was easy to come to terms with. 

“We,” Iset said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her away, “are surviving. We are not soldiers, and I do not wish to become collateral.” 

Iset kept walking, and Narcissa was forced to go with her or fall. Regulus could see when Narcissa decided to go along with the plan, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned back towards the area with the Death Eaters. He still had things to do.

“Regulus!” Iset’s voice caught his attention. “Come back alive.” Then she walked away with Narcissa.


	30. Snake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The action continues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: violence and death
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

Regulus worked his way through the dense foliage as quickly as he could. The density of leaves overhead turned the sunlight murky green and deepened the shadows to almost black in places. The forest reminded him of Grimmauld place: old, green, and oppressive. He was nearly to the clearing when he heard crashing in the forest to his left. Regulus froze, slowly turning towards the source. 

“Stay where you are Greyback.”

“We’ve got you trapped.” Regulus was pretty sure that was Sirius talking.

There was a harsh, rasping laugh. “The little pup is all grown up. You’re not as pretty as you used to be, Remus.”

There was a growl that could have come from anyone. Curiosity was rising in Regulus, but he didn’t have the time to sit and listen. He moved away from the altercation as quietly as he could.

“Why are we even talking to him?” That was Sirius. 

There was a flash of green light. Regulus froze. For a second he was terrified he was going to hear Sirius or Lupin cry out, that Greyback had gotten one of them. But neither did. So Regulus kept going. The flash of green light had sent his heart into overdrive. He had to force down a wave of anxiety as he moved. He’d seen people killed. He’d killed people. This was nothing new. He had a job to do. He needed to focus on that. 

He came to the point where the trees started to thin and stopped. Voices could be heard ahead of him. He needed to look into the clearing so he could locate the Dark Lord’s snake and kill it. If he just walked up, he would certainly be seen. It’s possible they would be distracted, but he didn’t want to gamble on that. He looked up. Climbing a tree would give him a good vantage point and some cover. There were plenty of low hanging branches. He reached for the closest one with more than a little trepidation. He’d climbed a tree all of once in his entire life, and that had been when he was twelve; climbing trees wasn’t something his mother had considered an appropriate pastime for her sons. Reminding himself that he had been much higher up while flying, he made his way up into a tree. The ascent was half uncoordinated scramble and half overcautious climb. Edging his way carefully down one branch and onto another, he moved closer to the clearing, tree by tree. As soon as he had a view of the clearing he stopped.

Cloaked and hooded figures stood in a loose ring, hanging back to the edges of the clearing where the trees cast heavy shadows, despite the fact that the sun had yet to set. In the center of the clearing the Dark Lord and Potter stood. Regulus searched the surrounding area for signs of Dumbledore but found none. Still, he suspected Dumbledore was capable of making himself unnoticeable. 

“I am a fair man, Harry Potter,” the Dark Lord’s voice was as horrible and cold as it had been in Narcissa’s memories. “I will give you a chance to duel me since you have come here to face me.”

Laughter rippled through the ranks of Death Eaters, and Bella’s high pitched laugh echoed louder than the others. Somehow, it sounded even more deranged and crueler than it had when Regulus had last heard it; it sent cold chills down his spine. 

Regulus tuned out the discussion at the center of the clearing; he needed to focus on finding the snake. Potter was willing to sacrifice himself to allow for the Dark Lord’s demise, and Regulus would not let that be in vain because he couldn’t find a snake. Every time Regulus had seen the snake, it had been close to the Dark Lord. Surely, the Dark Lord would want to keep the snake close after losing his other Horcruxes?

“Where are you,” he muttered. He moved his eyes systematically around the clearing. Anxiety was beginning to claw its way up his throat. What if the Dark Lord had left his snake somewhere else for safekeeping? Then he remembered his wand and cursed himself for an idiot.

Focusing on the image of the snake in his mind he murmured, “Invenio.” Then, “Serpens,” for good measure. Simple augmentations of spells were something his parents had insisted he learn. What else was the purpose of that Latin and greek he had to learn. His wand jerked in his hand, twisting to his right. He looked where his wand was pointing, but still, he saw nothing. He slackened his grip on his wand so that it could move freely. 

“Invenio Serpens,” he tried again, making sure to hold the image of the Dark Lord’s snake in his mind. He had no doubt there were plenty of other snakes in the Forbidden Forest that his spell could find. His wand moved in his hand, pointing up as well as to his right. Regulus narrowed his eyes and looked in the trees where his wand was pointing. For several moments there was nothing, and then he saw movement. He couldn’t completely make out the shape of the green snake moving among the green leaves, but he saw the way branches and leaves shook. 

Regulus glanced from the snake to the ground where the Dark Lord and Potter were standing. Flashes of light were coming out of their wands. It seemed at first like any duel, but it was obvious to Regulus, who had seen the Dark Lord in action before, that he was playing with Potter. Gritting his teeth Regulus glanced from the snake to the Dark Lord. Killing the snake would likely distract the Dark Lord, and Regulus needed him to kill Potter. The snake’s death could also anger the Dark Lord enough to make him stop the farce of a duel.  


Grimacing, Regulus pointed his wand at the snake. Then he looked down; the ground was maybe six or seven feet below him. He’d have to get down quickly after the spell. He did not relish the idea of jumping down from here. The jet of light from his wand could easily give away his position. Hopefully, the Death Eaters wouldn’t be able to move much faster in the forest than he could. Anxiety was beginning to squeeze him again. Why had he gotten himself into this situation? Why couldn’t he just let the Order deal with it?

Regulus gritted his teeth, this wasn’t the time for panic. Kneeling down on the branch, he took aim at the snake. He waited for several heartbeats until it moved again and he could make sure his wand was pointed directly at the snake. The snake had to die.

“Decrusto!” Regulus watched as the spell streaked across to its target. For a moment nothing happened. Then the body of the snake exploded, disintegrating into fine ashes. As soon as the ashes started to drift away, Regulus shoved his wand into his pocket, grabbed the branch below him, and dropped so he was hanging by his hands. Then he let go. His heart jumped into his throat, but he landed. He started moving away at an angle so that he was moving away from the snake and away from the clearing. 

“Nagini!” A horrible scream that barely sounded human came from the clearing. Regulus pushed himself faster. The Dark Lord had noticed. 

“Find them!” The Dark Lord’s voice was high and commanding. “Hunt them down! There are enemies around us, my friends.”

Adjusting his trajectory, Regulus pushed himself directly away from the clearing. He fumbled with his pocket to pull out his wand without slowing down. 

“And you,” the Dark Lord’s voice cut through the woods. “Potter.”

Regulus knew what was coming next, but it didn’t stop his heart from jumping into his throat.

“Avada Kadavra!”

Regulus felt sick. He kept moving, but in his mind’s eye, he saw the muggle kid that Bella had forced him to kill. It didn’t matter that Potter was older or that he had decided to sacrifice himself. Regulus couldn’t stop imagining the way his body would fall slack and collapse. But still, he kept running through the forest, jumping over roots, ducking under branches. His breathing was getting heavy, heavier than the exertion warranted.  


He could hear people in the forest behind him now. Options flew through Regulus’ mind. Keep running? Slow down to be quieter? Hide? Climb a tree again to get out of the way? What was the best option? He didn’t have much time. He didn’t feel like getting trapped up a tree with a Death Eater below him, so that was out. 

Coming to a decision, Regulus slowed nearly to a stop. He began to climb more carefully over the roots and branches. The light was getting lower too. He kept his ears focused on the sound of pursuit, but his eyes roamed around, hunting for a place to hide. His gaze caught on a large, half-dead tree. The gnarled roots came up past Regulus’ waist and the tree was broken open. Quietly, he moved towards it. He was able to step into the gap in the tree, with his back to the wood, he ducked down so that the shadow of the roots hid him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decrusto is an incantation that I 'invented' that disintegrates the target (in a similar fashion to how Bellatrix died in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows pt. 2)
> 
> Invenio is a finding spell I invented and Serpens is the latin word for snake.


	31. Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The action continues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Violence and Death
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

From his place, Regulus watched the woods. His wand was ready in his hand and his ears strained as he tried to listen to the sound of the Death Eaters moving through the forest. He forced himself to breathe through his nose, to count in and out as he breathed. He pushed away thoughts and memories except for his focus on the sound of Death Eaters.

A few of them were getting closer now. How far had Regulus managed to get from the clearing? Had he reached the ring of Order members? He doubted it. That meant he had no backup. His grip on his wand tightened. He’d slowed his breath, but his heart was hammering so hard in his ears that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Death Eaters could hear it.

“Do you see anything?” That sounded like Amycus Carrow. That meant that Alecto was somewhere nearby.

“No.” The voice was only vaguely familiar. But the sound was closer than Amycus.

“I don’t hear anything either,” Carrow answered. “Whoever it was, I don’t think they came this way.” 

“I swear I heard someone running,” the gruff voice was getting closer. Regulus resisted the urge to hold his breath.

“You’re hearing things,” Carrow said. “There’s no one here.”

“They could be hiding,” the first one responded. Regulus wished that it was Alecto with Amycus. They were stupid enough to have gone right by him.

Suddenly there was shouting in the distance. Regulus couldn’t completely make it out, but he heard the name ‘Goyle’. 

“Someone got Goyle, eh?” The unidentified man was still moving towards Regulus.

“How many of them do you think there are?” 

“Doesn’t matter.”

Regulus could see a shape in the shadows now. Slowly, very slowly, Regulus shifted his wand to point at the man. He could still hear Carrow lumbering around several feet away. Carrow would be on him very quickly once he heard the other Death Eater fall.

“Laedo,” Regulus hissed. And in the next breath “Levicorpus!”

The Death Eater in front of him jerked and then was swung up by his ankle in the air. Regulus pointed his wand high so that the man was out of sight when Carrow came looking. 

“Parkinson,” Carrow called. “Parkinson?” Carrow was coming towards him.

“Lumos!” Regulus could see the light of Carrow’s wand several feet away. 

“Laedo!” As a jet of purple light left Regulus’ wand and hit Carrow in the stomach, the spell on Parkinson ended and he fell crashing to the ground. Regulus winced at the sound. 

“Incarcerous! Incarcerous!” Regulus bound the unconscious men and stood up. Others would probably come this way following the noise. He doubted that the Death Eaters would take the time to help Carrow and Parkinson once their enervate spells failed. Taking care to move as quietly as he could manage, Regulus started away from the clearing again. Eventually, he should reach the area where the members of the Order were waiting.

Regulus could hear others moving through the forest, but the sound was muffled and redirected by the close-packed trees. His nerves were strung taut and he jumped when a sudden crashing sound came from his left. Quickly, he moved against a shadowy tree and stood with his back to it, facing the source of the noise.

“Got you!” That was Sirius’ voice again. Why had Regulus managed to end up back by that hothead? Still, if Sirius was here and alive, it meant that he hadn't seen the Potter boy die. Regulus swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. “Should have known you’d be sneaking around, you little rat.”

“Sirius!” 

Regulus didn’t recognize the voice that squeaked out a reply.

“You got away from me twice already, Wormy. Third time’s the charm, eh?”

The other man let out a frightened sound between a yelp and a squeak and Regulus winced. The noise they were making was soon to attract other Death Eaters. “We were friends, weren't we? You wouldn’t kill your friend?” 

“You’re no friend of mine,” there was a growl behind Sirius’ voice. “You’re the reason James and Lily are dead.”

“Please, Sirius. Padfoot, Padfoot, my friend.”

There was a thudding sound and then a cry of pain. Had Sirius just  _ punched _ the other guy, who Regulus now realized was Pettigrew?

“Say goodbye, Wormy.” Regulus rolled his eyes. Couldn’t his brother just  _ kill _ the idiot and move on. 

“No! No, please!” Regulus repressed a wince as Pettigrew’s voice shot up an octave. The entire forest was going to hear them at this rate. “I’ll do whatever you want! I have information. I know the Dark Lord’s plans. I’ll tell you everything, please,” the words were becoming choked as if by tears. Regulus felt disgust rising.

A twig cracked between Regulus and the place he thought Sirius and Pettigrew were standing. Regulus pushed himself back against the tree as if that would somehow make him less visible. He couldn’t make out a form in the murky light, but he thought there was movement between the trees. 

“A rat through and through,” Sirius said. The laugh that followed was anything but humorous. 

A figure stepped partially into the light as they moved between the trees. Regulus felt his blood grow chill. He’d recognize that dark hair and pale profile anywhere: Bellatrix. 

“No,” there was a horrified gasp. 

“What in Merlin’s name?” That was Sirius. Curiosity was rising in Regulus, but he kept completely still with his eyes on Bella. Regulus was going to have to do something. Bella would kill Sirius. Though, he doubted that she’d attack from the shadows. She’d want to see Sirius’ face when he knew it was her. Idiots, the lot of them. Regulus began to inch along the tree towards the place where Sirius and Pettigrew were. He kept his wand out and pointed at Bella, though she was only a shadow now. 

“Sirius! Sirius help-” the end of the phrase was cut off by a choking sound. 

“Good riddance,” Sirius said. There was the heavy thud of a body falling, followed by more choking sounds. 

“Oh, what do we have here?” Bella’s voice carried through the trees. Regulus moved faster towards the group. Bella should be focused on Sirius now. 

“Ooh,” she tittered. “It's a wittle worm and my baby cousin.” Her mock baby voice sent chills through Regulus. 

“Bellatrix,” Sirius said, “good to see you again. I owe you one.”

Bella cackled. “Look at the rat. Killed by his own hand. Thought he could betray the Dark Lord, did he?”

Regulus was close enough now that he could hear Pettigrew’s strangled breathing. He shifted slowly around the tree between him and the group until he could just see around. Bella was poking Pettigrew with the toe of her boot. Her gaze heavy-lidded gaze was on Sirius. 

“Please, little cousin,” she said with a wicked smile. “I already killed you once; It won’t be hard to do it again.”

Sirius barked out a laugh. “Please, you just knocked me over.”

Regulus had to resist the urge to roll his eyes, could they just fight? He had his wand pointed at Bella now, he was waiting for a moment to take her out. But apparently, they were just going to chat. 

“You’ll see your little blood traitor friends real soon,” she snarled and raised her wand. She tittered again, “Want to join the little bitty baby Potter,  _ Siri? _ ”

“Confringo!” He roared.

“Crucio!” She shouted. 

“Protego!” Sirius blasted the curse to the side. Regulus didn’t try and keep track of the flurry of spells that came next. He stepped out from behind the tree, but neither of them was looking at him. For a moment, he was frozen. He should kill her. Bella wasn’t just a murderer, she was someone who enjoyed killing and torturing people. He’d seen her laughing over dead bodies, laughing as people screamed in pain, but he couldn’t do it.

“Laedo!” The spell hit Bella in the side and her body jerked.

“Stupefy!” Sirius hit her in the chest. 

She collapsed to the ground. Regulus looked down at her, blood was trickling out of her nose; Laedo was a nasty curse. She’d survive though.

“You should have killed her,” Sirius said. 

“Kill her yourself.” Regulus couldn’t keep the snarl out of his voice. He turned his back on his brother and started moving into the woods. Bella’s laugh had carried, more people would come. 

“Where are you going?” Sirius asked.

“Away from here,” Regulus said. “Other Death Eaters will come over here. I’m sure someone heard her cackling.”

“Regulus!” He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Bellatrix, what she said about Harry, do you know?”

Regulus was glad that he wasn’t looking at Sirius. “He was with Dumbledore.”

“He could be in danger!”

“We are all in danger, Sirius!”

“So you’re going to hide?” Sirius didn’t even try to hide the condescending tone in his voice. Before Regulus could say anything, maybe point out that he had already incapacitated four Death Eaters, Sirius snorted. He let go of Regulus and started to move away.

“Sirius,” Regulus said. He would bet the Black fortune that Sirius was going to head straight towards the clearing where the Dark Lord had been. “The plan!”

“Fuck the plan!” Sirius yelled and took off. Regulus swore under his breath and changed his trajectory. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laedo is an incantation for curse that incapacitates the victim. It is like Antonin Dolohov's spell in the books. It causes internal organ damage so that the victim cannot easily be revivified. However, this spell is not lethal.
> 
> Will the Black cousins ever stop being dramatic? No. Will the brothers ever stop fighting? I doubt it.


	32. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight continues on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: violence, death, and PTSD
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

For the millionth time in his life, Regulus found himself trailing after Sirius. The idiot was practically marching through the woods and making no attempt to be silent. Regulus stayed several feet back and moved as quietly as he could. He tried to listen for other people coming towards them, but it was hard over the noise Sirius was making. 

Because of his caution, Regulus slowly fell farther behind his brother, but he could follow him by sound. They continued for a few minutes before Regulus heard the sound of twigs snapping coming from their left. Before he could say anything, the Death Eaters were on Sirius. There were three of them. Luckily, they hadn’t noticed Regulus.

As the Death Eater’s converged on Sirius, Regulus moved around them to get to their backs. He trusted Sirius to hold his own for the thirty seconds or so it would take. The Death Eaters were shouting. 

“Merlin’s pants,” Regulus hissed. 

“Bombarda!” Regulus hit two of the Death Eaters from behind. They were blasted sideways into a tree. Moving so that his back was to a tree, Regulus joined the fray. It was easy to fall back into the habit of dueling incantations rolling off his tongue, “Sectumsempra, Laedo, Confingo, Protego.

Between them, Sirius and Regulus defeated the Death Eaters quickly. For a moment they just stood there.

“Incarcerous, Incarcerous, Incarcerous.” Regulus bound the Death Eaters one by one.

“I thought you were running away,” Sirius said.

“This is what I get for helping you? I was making a tactical retreat.” Regulus glared at his brother. “But you wouldn’t know tactics if they hit you over the head.”

“Tactics?” Sirius snorted. “Sneaking in the woods and hitting people from behind? Not very honorable.”

Regulus gritted his teeth. “You know what? Go right ahead and get yourself killed. I’m not going to bother anymore.”

Turning, Regulus struck out into the woods. 

“Hey, Reg!” Sirius called, but Regulus kept walking.

He’d moved several feet away before he realized he was heading towards the clearing and had to adjust his direction. As he picked his way through the woods, he pushed back his anger and tried to focus on the situation. How long has it been since Regulus had taken out the snake? Was Dumbledore dueling with the Dark Lord? How much longer until Dumbledore gave the signal? 

Regulus avoided wondering if Dumbledore could actually defeat the Dark Lord or not. Dumbledore had to beat the Dark Lord. There was no other option. But, what should Regulus do until then? He could try and take out more Death Eaters, but he didn’t have an efficient way to find them. Then he remembered the map.

Ducking into shadows underneath a particularly large tree, Regulus pulled out the map. He could hardly see it in the gloom, but he didn’t want to light up his wand. It took awhile for him to find himself on the map and then orient the map so he knew which direction he would need to move. It didn’t take him long to scout his surroundings and find that Alecto Carrow wasn’t far away. She was probably hunting for her brother. Regulus stowed the map and started through the woods towards Alecto.

“Amycus! Amycus where are you?” Regulus heard her voice before he saw her. She was smart enough not to be yelling, but it still gave her away. 

Regulus edged closer to her. He still couldn’t see her, and then he stepped on a branch. He froze.

“Who’s there? Amycus, is that you?” Regulus didn’t respond, but he could hear Alecto moving towards him now. Slowly he raised his wand, aiming it towards her voice.

Suddenly there was a flash of brilliant light high over the forest and the triumphant call of the phoenix. In the bright light, Regulus and Alecto were both illuminated.  


“Laedo!”

“Crucio!”

“Protego!”

The brilliant light above faded and the forest was only lit by the flashes from their wand. Regulus barely dodged a killing curse. The Dark Lord had once told them that the Order of the Phoenix was handicapped by their lack of conviction because they didn't want to kill for their cause. His grip on his wand tightened.

“Sectumsempra!” Regulus’ spell sliced open Alecto’s face, down her neck, and across her chest. She screamed and dropped her wand, hands flying up to her throat. Blood was pouring between her hands. Regulus was frozen watching the blood gushing from her throat. He remembered her sitting at the Slytherin table, laughing with her brother. Regulus lifted his wand, but he didn’t remember the counter curse. Why couldn’t he remember?

“Vulnera Sanentur,” the words finally made their way out of his mouth. The blood flow started to slow but he didn’t know if it was enough. Alecto had sunk down to her knees. “Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur.” He repeated it.

“What?” Alecto gasped. “What are you doing? We’re enemies.”

“I don’t want to kill you,” Regulus said. He  _ didn’t  _ want to kill anyone. He was so tired of death.

“Incarcerous,” Regulus bound her. Then he knelt and to check on the healing of the wounds.

“I’ve lost too much blood,” Alecto whispered as she stared at him. Recognition was spreading across her face. “Because you look like Regulus.”

A sad smile crossed Regulus' face. “Stupefy.”

Alecto slumped unconscious. The blood had nearly stopped flowing. Shakily, Regulus got to his feet. He needed to head towards the clearing now. With the Dark Lord gone, Shaklebolt would summon the rest of the Order and then the aurors. They would sweep the woods for Death Eaters. Regulus began to walk through the forest again. He didn’t take out the map. He’d give it to Shaklebolt. Someone else could hunt down the remaining Death Eaters. Regulus had had enough. The Dark Lord was dead. That was what mattered.

As Regulus moved towards the clearing, he heard yelling, crashing, and other sounds of fighting, but he didn’t come across anyone else. His adrenaline was running down and he felt incredibly tired, and his head was starting to hurt. He paused at the edge of the clearing.

He froze. Sirius was there holding Potter, and Potter was  _ alive. _ But he was crying. Regulus followed his gaze and saw Dumbledore’s body on the ground. The phoenix was perched next to his master with his head pressed against Dumbledore’s. A single tear ran down the phoenix’s red feathers. It was too late for their healing powers now. 

Shock flooded Regulus. His eyes scanned the rest of the clearing. The Dark Lord’s robes lay in a heap; no trace of his body remained. There were several bodies though Snape was the only face he could see, the Death Eater’s still had their hoods up. Unable to stop himself, Regulus moved into the clearing and knelt beside the first body. 

He was surprised to see Mulciber Senior. The man was nearly seventy. The next body was Rosier Senior. It looked like they had been rushing towards the Dark Lord. They’d been with him since the beginning, since Hogwarts. With one hand, he gently closed his eyes. 

Regulus staggered towards the next body. Rosier. His arm was stretched towards his father. Closing his staring eyes with a shaking hand, Regulus couldn’t help but see Rosier in his mind's eye dressed in his quidditch robes and shaking his broom aggressively as he tried to give a pep talk. 

“Hey,” a gruff voice came from behind. He turned to see Moody standing there. He put a hand on Regulus’ shoulder. His face was uncharacteristically soft. “You should head out. The officials are coming and I doubt you feel like dealing with them.

“Right,” Regulus shakily got to his feet. 

“Go home, lad,” Moody said. 

So Regulus did.


	33. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One year later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to my beta reader [gooseberrybrains](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains)

July 1997

Regulus leaned as flat to the handle of his broom as he could. Laughing, he squinted his eyes against the sun and wind. He kept his eye on the tree in the distance that was the goal, but he could see Draco to his right. Leaning forward, he urged the broom as fast it could go. The tree came closer and closer until he braked as hard as he could without throwing himself off of the broom and he landed hard, but on his feet. Draco was staggering upright when Regulus glanced over.

“I won,” Regulus said.

“You absolutely did not,” Draco said, and used the hem of his shirt to wipe sweat from his face.

“I’m pretty sure,” Regulus said with a laugh. He knew that there was no way to tell who had actually won.

Draco shoved him lightly, and they both laughed. Regulus ran a hand through his hair to get it out of his face. Picking up their brooms, they started back towards the manor. Regulus listened to Draco complain about how much work he’d had to help his friends, Crabbe and Goyle, study for finals with only minimal laughter. It seemed that Goyle, at least, had inherited his father’s intelligence. 

“It’s a miracle they passed their O.W.L.s last year, really,” Draco told him. 

“Goyle,” Regulus said, “The one I went to school with, only got one O.W.L. and his father had to bribe the Ministry so he could retake them. He spent the entire summer with a private tutor.” 

Draco laughed. “Maybe Goyle’s mother will remember that and get her son a tutor. He’ll actually need his N.E.W.T.s if he wants to get a job at the ministry. 

“Luckily for him, he doesn’t need a brain to work there.” Using his hand to shade his eyes from the summer sun, Regulus glanced towards the manor. He could see two figures walking down the path from the gates. “Looks like Cissy and Iset are back.”

“It’s weird every time you call Mother that.” Draco made a face as if to emphasize his point. 

“Sorry. You have no idea how weird it would be to call her Mrs. Malfoy.

“It’s weird,” Draco said. “Most of the time it’s like you’re a friend who went to Durmstrang or something. Then you go and say something like that I remember the whole thing.”

“I understand,” Regulus said. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget. If I’m with Iset, or you, or the Weasleys. But then I see Cissy, or Sirius, or someone else and I remember all over again.”

“It’s very strange to hear you talk about the Weasleys. Everyone always spoke very poorly of them. Given their politics and such.”

“It was the same for me. The Prewetts, the Weasleys, the Potters were blacklisted. We didn’t talk to them. Well, my brother befriended Potter, but he was disowned. But when I met the Weasleys they were nicer to me than any of the Twenty-Eight ever had been. I’ve learned that my parents were wrong about a lot of things, and that’s one of them.”

“You two hurry up!” A voice came from the house and both boys looked up. Narcissa was standing in the doorway. “Get in here and shower. I want to have lunch.”

“Yes mother,” Draco grumbled. Both boys picked up the pace as they moved into the house. A house-elf brought Regulus his bag and showed him to a guest bathroom. He showered quickly and was halfway through getting dressed when someone knocked on the door.

“Reg,” Iset’s voice was slightly muffled through the heavy door. “It’s Iset. Can I come in?”

“One second,” Regulus said. He finished buckling his belt and moved towards the door. He unlocked and opened it. Obviously confused, he asked “What is it?”

Iset stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “I got something for you.” 

“It couldn’t wait?” Regulus picked up his undershirt. 

“Nope,” Iset gave him a bright smile. Pushing herself up on her toes, she reached up for a kiss. Regulus let out a chuckle and leaned down to kiss her. Her smile turned into a smirk and she rested one hand on his chest. “Besides, you look good.”

Regulus laughed and pulled the undershirt over his head. “So what did you get for me?”

Iset raised her free hand. There was a pink glass vile in it. She shook it and some sort of liquid moved inside. A potion of some kind, he guessed.

“And this is?”

“Give me your left hand.”

Regulus held out his hand, caught between curiosity and confusion. Turning his arm over, Iset exposed the dark mark. It had faded even further since the Dark Lord’s demise, but it was still definitely there. Iset opened the bottle and used the dropper to drip some on his arm. It started out a faint pink color, but it turned the exact color as his skin when it came in contact with him. Setting down the bottle, Iset used a sponge that she must have had in her pocket to spread the potion over his arm. Regulus watched as the mark on his arm slowly vanished. It took a few more applications of the potion, but eventually, it vanished completely. 

“There,” Iset said. Regulus was staring down at his arm, and he couldn’t look away. Emotions washed through him. His arm was blank. It felt as if part of him, a part that had remained attached to the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord and all of their evil, was coming loose. His eyes started to burn and he realized that tears were forming. In a single motion, Regulus stepped forward and pulled Iset into his embrace.

“Thank you,” he whispered into her hair. Her arms encircled him, and she held him tight. For several moments, his breath was heavy, nearly a sob.

“It’s only temporary,” she said. “But I’ll find something better.”

Once he had his composure, he pulled back enough that he could look down at her. “I’m so lucky to have you.” Leaning down, Regulus kissed her forehead, then he let her go. “We need to get to lunch or Cissy will lose her mind.”

Iset laughed and let him go. “I’ll be downstairs.” She slipped out the door and closed it behind her.

Regulus pulled on his shirt and buttoned it up. Then, for the first time in years, he rolled up the sleeves. He stood for another long moment staring down at his arms. It didn’t seem real, and it didn’t matter that the potion would wash off at the end of the day. For now, even if just for a few hours, he felt liberated. He stepped out of the bathroom and moved through the house. It felt a bit odd to be in this house without being dressed in his dress robes, but Cissy had insisted that they have a casual lunch as it was too hot for a formal one. 

Draco was going down the stairs ahead of Regulus, so Regulus jogged a few steps to catch up to him. He was slightly amused to see that he and Draco were dressed exactly the same except that Draco’s shirt was blue to Regulus’ black. 

“Hey, Draco,” Regulus started. He should have asked Iset about the potion. Draco should have some too. Maybe Cissy already had some. Draco turned around, and Regulus saw that he also had his sleeves rolled up. 

“Reg.” His eyes took in Regulus, and he held up his left hand, palm up so that his arm was exposed. Regulus copied him. For a second that just stood there. Then Regulus grabbed Draco’s hand and pulled him into a quick hug. Draco pounded his back. They stepped away and Regulus saw the shine of tears in Draco’s eyes. Regulus turned his attention back down the stairs and the pair started walking.

“It’s,” Regulus said, but he didn’t know what to say. 

“Yeah,” Draco said, and the boys smiled at each other.

“Odd not to be wearing robes, isn’t it?” Regulus changed to a safer topic.

“Definitely,” Draco said as they made their way onto the first floor and across the marble entry hall towards the dining room. “Father always insisted.”

“Mine as well.” 

Draco led the way to the smaller dining room. The doors to the patio had been opened wide and summer light filled the room. The white marble floor spilled out from the doors to form a large patio that was surrounded by rose bushes. Last time Regulus had seen it, it had been transformed into a dance floor for a winter ball.

But now, someone had moved a small table to the patio. Iset and Narcissa sat at the round iron table under a green umbrella. Narcissa was saying something to Iset, but they both looked up as the sound of the boys’ footsteps echoed through the dining room. Iset’s eyes flicked between Draco and Regulus and she smiled, a radiant smile that she didn’t try and hide behind her hand. Regulus saw in the way her eyes crinkled that Narcissa must be smiling too, but she had pulled up an ivory fan to cover the lower half of her face. 

“Mother says that I owe you for this idea,” Draco said, gesturing to his arm. “I am very grateful.”

“You are very welcome,” Iset said with a small nod. Before she could say anything else, Narcissa cut in.

“No more talk of such things.” she waved her hand and a house-elf appeared. It was carrying a large carafe of sangria that was full of fresh fruit and cold enough that condensation rolled down the side. “I hear that you have a job now, Reg?”

“Yes,” Regulus said. “I was able to get an interview with Gringotts. It was difficult as they seemed to be somehow aware that my documents had been altered. But a friend of mine recommended me. It was quite strange, I must admit. It’s not something I ever considered, and Father is surely rolling over in his grave at the thought of it. But I can’t stand to sit in Grimmauld Place and tend the investments all day.”

“Curse breaking, though. It’s dangerous.” Narcissa tapped her fan against her chin. “I’m certain that you could have gotten a position at the Ministry.”

“Probably.” Regulus picked up his glass so that he had something to do with his hands. “I plan on applying for a job there later, maybe in ten years. But for now, it’s nice to do something that I am uniquely suited for.”

“Well,” Narcissa said, and Regulus could tell that she didn’t entirely approve. “You are your own man. Still, remember that you are the head of the House of Black now.” She pointed her fan at him. “I expect you to uphold our reputation. And Draco,” she turned to her son, “don’t get any mad ideas about copying him.”

“Of course not, mother,” he responded instantly. 

“Oh,” Regulus said, remembering something. “Cissy, you should know that the Black Family Country Home is, for now, Sirius’ property. Now that he has been cleared of his crimes, he can legally own the place. I certainly can’t stand him staying in Grimmauld Place with me.”

The Summer Home, or Summer Estate had been Cissy’s childhood home. He felt like she should know that it was back in the hands of the Family. 

“I do hope he takes good care of it,” was all she said. 

“I’ve convinced him to box up all the things he doesn’t want instead of throwing them away. I’ll take them and put them in storage, or sell them. You are welcome to any of it, of course.”

“Very generous of you,” Narcissa responded with practiced grace. The house-elves had arrived with plates of chilled sandwiches. 

There was silence as they ate with only the sound of glasses clinking against the table. When they finished their sandwiches, Narcissa motioned for the house-elves and they swept away their dishes and brought out a lemon tart.

“You know,” Iset said. “I need to thank you again, Narcissa, for allowing me to be legally adopted into your family. I finally received the notice from the Ministry that I can do the British qualification test for Certification in Magical Theory. Though, I must say that the phrase ‘Iset Malfoy’ was never something I thought I would see.”

Everyone at the table chuckled. 

“It’s nothing, dear,” Narcissa said. “I owe you and Regulus a great deal. It’s a small thing to add you to our family records.” 

“I’m still surprised at how easy it was to change everything,” Regulus said. “A friend of a friend in the Department for Magical Records just changed my birthdate and removed the record of my death with the appropriate spells. It was a bit trickier for Iset of course; an entirely new file had to be created. Still, it was done in just a day and an entirely new legal person was created. The Ministry’s records are all connected so that they only had to access the main record.”

“Well,” Draco said. “It’s common knowledge that the ministry is entirely incompetent.” This was met by another round of chuckles. The group fell into silence as they enjoyed the dessert. When Narcissa finished, she pushed her plate to the center and got to her feet.

“I think that I will lie down for a bit. The heat is too much for me. Draco, your cheeks are turning pink. Were you outside all morning without a sun potion? Get inside and put some burn reversal potion on at once, or your skin will peel. Do you want sun damage? Honestly.” With that, Narcissa strode into the house and out of sight.

Draco, whose cheeks were, in fact, turning redder by the second, gave Regulus a chagrined look and got to his feet.

“I’d best do as she says. I’ll see you two another day. Reg, I’m the captain of the team next year, so I’ll need you here to practice with me as often as possible.” His words were formal, but there was an easy smile on his face.

“Of course,” Regulus replied, “I’m happy to help the Slytherin quidditch team.”

Draco started walking back through the dining room, but he paused before he got to the doors. “Mother says you are welcome to wander through the gardens. She particularly recommends the roses.” With that, he followed his mother into the house. 

Regulus got to his feet and offered Iset his hand, “Should we take a walk?”

“That sounds nice,” Iset took his hand as she stood. Regulus kept hold of her hand as they walked across the white marble until they reached the wall of rose bushes and a path made of crushed white stone. 

“We’re expected at the burrow for dinner tonight, right?” Regulus asked as they walked through waist-high hedges blooming with small white flowers.

“Yes,” Iset leaned into Regulus a bit as she spoke. “Mrs. Weasley seems to have decided that we should come every Sunday. Tonks as well.”

“I still can’t believe that we were invited to Bill and Fleur’s wedding.”  


“You know, I’ve never been to a British wedding.”

“I’ve been to plenty,” Regulus rubbed the back of his neck. “Though, I hazard a guess that theirs will be quite different to the ones that I am used to. To start, Bill and Fleur actually love each other.”

“I suppose so,” Iset mused. “It’s weird.” Iset stopped talking, but Regulus knew what she was thinking about. 

“Their lives are so different. I always resented those people a bit, during school. I knew… well, I knew that I was going to have to marry someone I didn’t love. Love was never supposed to be part of the equation.” 

They had crossed through into the rose gardens. The air was perfumed by the flowers around them, Regulus almost thought it was too much. But he had to admit that it was beautiful. A marble gazebo stood before them and all around them were white roses. 

“I understand,” Iset said. 

Regulus pulled Iset towards the gazebo. Stopping, he turned back to her. Regulus’ heart was racing. He’d defeated his nerves up to this point, but now the anxiety was starting to grab hold of him.

“Iset,” he said softly. The summer sun painted her dark skin gold and shone in her hair. 

“Yes,” she tilted her head, obviously curious. 

“I’ve loved you for so long. You were always the only one for me, even before I realized it. You have always been there for me, and I don’t know what I would do without you. I was given a second chance to be with you, and I don’t want to waste it. I don’t want to have any regrets this time.”

Iset’s free hand was hovering over her mouth and her eyes were shining in the sun. Regulus slowly got down on one knee and pulled out the ring box.

“I want to spend forever with you. Iset, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” The word was out of Iset’s mouth almost before Regulus finished talking. “Of course.” 

Regulus slid the ring onto her finger. Once the ring was on her finger, she gripped his hand and pulled him up. 

Regulus wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to kiss her. 

“I never want to be without you,” she whispered against his lips. Regulus lifted her clean off her feet as he kissed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin.
> 
> You made it to the end. This fic was a real roller coaster for me as a writer. I hope that you all enjoyed it.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this! Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought. If you liked it. If you didn't like it. I want to hear from you.


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